Continuing with the theme of gardening, I will focus on weeds. This is easy right now because I just spent 45 minutes pulling some tenacious ones. When I first looked at the huge mass of weeds that seemed to have taken over the front flower bed, I was tempted to surrender in defeat. There were 3 concerns that brought this possibility to mind: 1) the sheer number and size of the weeds; 2) the heat; 3) possible critters lurking in there. Each of these is a great reason to retreat to the comfort of air conditioning.
For some reason, though, I pulled a weed at the edge. This felt good so I pulled another and another. With the removal of each weed I noticed two things. First, I could see better to pull the next one while checking for any critters in the immediate vicinity. Secondly, my progress was taking me into the shade.
There are a number of lessons in our struggle against weeds. Weeds represented unwanted things in life that hide the good and seek to choke the very life from that good. Secondly, they keep coming back. The harder we hit them, the longer it takes, but they will be back. And the sooner we take care of them when they do return, the easier it is to keep them from gaining a stronghold. Also, no matter how much we'd like them to turn into a beautiful flower or vegetable, they will always be a weed.
As I rehydrate and reflect on my success against this one patch of weeds, here is what I've learned. Weeds are not as noticeable where there are no flowers and fruit but they are still there. Calling a weed a tomato does not make it so. The only real way to stop their intrusion is to pull them up by the root.
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Monday, July 28, 2014
Gardening
Gardening is one of my favorite hobbies. By doing a little research and then stepping out in faith, it's possible to participate in a miracle. How in the world can a hard little brown seed become delicious food? In the past 8 months, I have witnessed this miracle in my own garden with broccoli, beets, lettuce, tomatoes, green beans, and okra. Oh, I've had some challenges! Caterpillars, too much rain, not enough rain, weeds ... Gardening requires vigilance.
Here in Florida, the soil is not as rich as the soil in the Midwest or even in South Carolina. Sand is predominant so before I planted the first seed, I created a compost bin - 2 of them actually. Fruit and vegetable scraps, the chicken manure from our 5 laying hens, as well as leaves all go into two separate bins. Even composting requires some research and oversight. I turn the compost a couple of times a week to keep it aerated. In fact, my sweet husband gave me a pitch fork tool for our anniversary last winter to help with this. I keep the compost covered with a tarp so the process goes fast! In a couple of months I have a decent pile of "black gold." Mixing this compost with the sandy loam improves the soil a lot. And there is something spiritual about "recycling" organic matter from death back to life.
Along with the composting, we installed 2 rain barrels. The idea of sustainable gardening is very appealing to me. The LORD has blessed us with abundance but He expects us to participate in bringing it about. It's nice to know that I have stored rain water to keep plants alive when there is an absence of rain. Even though we have showers almost every day, in the heat of summer even one day without rain takes its toll.
I still have a lot to learn about gardening. Having vegetables to harvest is very gratifying. At one point I decided container gardening would be the answer so I tried it with purchased garden soil enriched with compost. The results don't seem to be any better than direct planting. It is fun to watch and make notes. While my eventual goal is to sustain our family from our vegetable garden, right now I'm enjoying the trial and error process. My dad was a wonderful gardener so I feel like I'm continuing his legacy. The most fun part is knowing that my grandchildren are watching and learning.
Here in Florida, the soil is not as rich as the soil in the Midwest or even in South Carolina. Sand is predominant so before I planted the first seed, I created a compost bin - 2 of them actually. Fruit and vegetable scraps, the chicken manure from our 5 laying hens, as well as leaves all go into two separate bins. Even composting requires some research and oversight. I turn the compost a couple of times a week to keep it aerated. In fact, my sweet husband gave me a pitch fork tool for our anniversary last winter to help with this. I keep the compost covered with a tarp so the process goes fast! In a couple of months I have a decent pile of "black gold." Mixing this compost with the sandy loam improves the soil a lot. And there is something spiritual about "recycling" organic matter from death back to life.
Along with the composting, we installed 2 rain barrels. The idea of sustainable gardening is very appealing to me. The LORD has blessed us with abundance but He expects us to participate in bringing it about. It's nice to know that I have stored rain water to keep plants alive when there is an absence of rain. Even though we have showers almost every day, in the heat of summer even one day without rain takes its toll.
I still have a lot to learn about gardening. Having vegetables to harvest is very gratifying. At one point I decided container gardening would be the answer so I tried it with purchased garden soil enriched with compost. The results don't seem to be any better than direct planting. It is fun to watch and make notes. While my eventual goal is to sustain our family from our vegetable garden, right now I'm enjoying the trial and error process. My dad was a wonderful gardener so I feel like I'm continuing his legacy. The most fun part is knowing that my grandchildren are watching and learning.
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Politically Correct Versus Polite
What is the difference between being politically correct and being polite? Growing up in the South, I was taught to say "Yes ma'am, No ma'am, Yes sir and No sir" to everyone. It never occurred to us to be disrespectful to teachers or police officers. I'm trying to pinpoint when these understandings changed. For my generation, I see The Watergate Scandal as the time America lost respect for authority. The Hippie movement preceded Watergate and set the stage for marches and sit-ins to protest everything from the Vietnam War to bra wearing. The term "The Establishment" was coined during this time and referred to society's governing institutions established by previous generations.
While it's normal for adolescents to question authority, I think the generation of the 60's and 70's took this to a new level. Was this a natural development or was it contrived? While many of us thought ourselves smarter than our parents, is it possible we were indoctrinated by unseen powers with their own agenda? The film, Agenda: Grinding America Down, offers much insight into how our minds have been manipulated over the past 90 years. As Rabbi Jonathan Cahn, author of The Harbinger likes to say, "We now call evil good and good evil." This has happened in education, government, and religion. There are no easy solutions but understanding the situation and how it came about offers a lot of hope for the future. Just because a self-proclaimed expert says something doesn't make it right. We have to use our own powers of reasoning and question the motive of those who want us to change our basic beliefs.
The term "political correctness" is about 20 years old. It's basic agenda is to avoid making any judgments or negative comments about religions and lifestyles that have been outside the mainstream of western society. The proponents of political correctness seek to instill feelings of guilt and shame in those who adhere to what have been called Judeo-Christian values. This guilt and shame causes us to question what we were taught as true and good and begin to consider what we thought was abnormal or wrong as being acceptable. Some examples in religion are atheism and extreme Islam with its Sharia law. As a result, we have been told to silence our traditional Judeo-Christian, Bible-based beliefs because they are offensive. However, political correctness does not allow for the silencing of the hate speech declared by atheists and Islamic Jihadists. Anyone who suggests Islamic militants are dangerous is labeled an Islamaphobe. Similarly, homosexuality has been elevated to the point of being revered. Anyone questioning or objecting to the normalization of homosexuality in our education system or military is labeled a homophobe. To suggest that homosexuality is problematic and not to be encouraged causes one to be vilified.
Many of us were taught to hate the sin but love the sinner. With the emergence of political correctness, we became more aware of those with different opinions about what is acceptable and good and what is not. Over time, this has morphed into a judicial system that seeks to silence Jews and Christians and give a stronger voice to those who are against them. Rather than being politely tolerant of beliefs and lifestyles different from our own, we are legally forced to declare the goodness and rightness of ideas and actions that directly conflict with our Judeo-Christian faith. We are told not to be judgmental or unloving. Agreeing with things we know are wrong is not being loving. How loving is a parent who allows their child to jump off a skyscraper because they have been told that gravity is wrong and weightlessness is better?
I definitely support politeness. For a civilized society to remain civilized, people must treat each other with polite respect. However, to take that respect to a fanatical extreme and involve the courts to enforce it is tyranny. Let's continue to smile and be polite but stand up against political correctness. .
While it's normal for adolescents to question authority, I think the generation of the 60's and 70's took this to a new level. Was this a natural development or was it contrived? While many of us thought ourselves smarter than our parents, is it possible we were indoctrinated by unseen powers with their own agenda? The film, Agenda: Grinding America Down, offers much insight into how our minds have been manipulated over the past 90 years. As Rabbi Jonathan Cahn, author of The Harbinger likes to say, "We now call evil good and good evil." This has happened in education, government, and religion. There are no easy solutions but understanding the situation and how it came about offers a lot of hope for the future. Just because a self-proclaimed expert says something doesn't make it right. We have to use our own powers of reasoning and question the motive of those who want us to change our basic beliefs.
The term "political correctness" is about 20 years old. It's basic agenda is to avoid making any judgments or negative comments about religions and lifestyles that have been outside the mainstream of western society. The proponents of political correctness seek to instill feelings of guilt and shame in those who adhere to what have been called Judeo-Christian values. This guilt and shame causes us to question what we were taught as true and good and begin to consider what we thought was abnormal or wrong as being acceptable. Some examples in religion are atheism and extreme Islam with its Sharia law. As a result, we have been told to silence our traditional Judeo-Christian, Bible-based beliefs because they are offensive. However, political correctness does not allow for the silencing of the hate speech declared by atheists and Islamic Jihadists. Anyone who suggests Islamic militants are dangerous is labeled an Islamaphobe. Similarly, homosexuality has been elevated to the point of being revered. Anyone questioning or objecting to the normalization of homosexuality in our education system or military is labeled a homophobe. To suggest that homosexuality is problematic and not to be encouraged causes one to be vilified.
Many of us were taught to hate the sin but love the sinner. With the emergence of political correctness, we became more aware of those with different opinions about what is acceptable and good and what is not. Over time, this has morphed into a judicial system that seeks to silence Jews and Christians and give a stronger voice to those who are against them. Rather than being politely tolerant of beliefs and lifestyles different from our own, we are legally forced to declare the goodness and rightness of ideas and actions that directly conflict with our Judeo-Christian faith. We are told not to be judgmental or unloving. Agreeing with things we know are wrong is not being loving. How loving is a parent who allows their child to jump off a skyscraper because they have been told that gravity is wrong and weightlessness is better?
I definitely support politeness. For a civilized society to remain civilized, people must treat each other with polite respect. However, to take that respect to a fanatical extreme and involve the courts to enforce it is tyranny. Let's continue to smile and be polite but stand up against political correctness. .
Thursday, July 17, 2014
Playing it Safe
Many people go through life trying to play it safe. They are afraid to color outside the lines. Reckless behavior is not wise but neither is living in fear of what might be around the next bend. I remember the conversation I had with the pediatrician the day after our second daughter was born. We were discussing things like SIDS and I kept asking one question after another. Finally he stopped me and said, "This is the healthiest baby in the hospital. If you take a car trip across the country and constantly worry about the possibility of an accident, you will not enjoy the trip and will miss out on a lot of fun." That advice has remained with me ever since.
As I write this, a Malaysian Aircraft with 295 civilians onboard has been shot out of the sky over the Ukraine. We all know the world is not safe. In November 2012 five friends and I were scheduled to fly to Israel for 10 days when rockets starting flying out of Gaza. After prayer and consultation with experts, we decided to proceed with our trip. This was a leap of faith and a risk that all but one of us was willing to take. On our way to Dimona from Tel Aviv, we saw the Iron Dome intercept a rocket out of Gaza. We gave thanks and continued our animated conversation about our upcoming plans. The result was a very fun and educational trip with many unexpected blessings. I met with the top horticulturists in the country and made some lasting friends.
The safety of my four grandchildren is another story. I never want to see them injured in any way. The question becomes "How much protection is desirable or even possible?" The world, in spite of its dangers, is also full of fun, educational, and amazing things which I want them to experience. Three of the four are shy while the youngest never meets a stranger. My job is to temper their fears of the unknown with sensible caution. They all love the water so I insist they learn to swim and wear life jackets on the dock or boat. We have to drive places so we use car seats and seat belts. I teach them about stranger danger and help them meet new and interesting people in a safe manner.
I plan to take them and their parents to Israel one day. It's a place dear to my heart and I want to share it with my family. Like my trip in 2012, these future trips will likely be made after prayer and careful consideration. As human beings we were created to learn and grow by seeing and doing. Everyday is an opportunity for me to see and do something new and interesting. Living is risky but so is playing it safe.
As I write this, a Malaysian Aircraft with 295 civilians onboard has been shot out of the sky over the Ukraine. We all know the world is not safe. In November 2012 five friends and I were scheduled to fly to Israel for 10 days when rockets starting flying out of Gaza. After prayer and consultation with experts, we decided to proceed with our trip. This was a leap of faith and a risk that all but one of us was willing to take. On our way to Dimona from Tel Aviv, we saw the Iron Dome intercept a rocket out of Gaza. We gave thanks and continued our animated conversation about our upcoming plans. The result was a very fun and educational trip with many unexpected blessings. I met with the top horticulturists in the country and made some lasting friends.
The safety of my four grandchildren is another story. I never want to see them injured in any way. The question becomes "How much protection is desirable or even possible?" The world, in spite of its dangers, is also full of fun, educational, and amazing things which I want them to experience. Three of the four are shy while the youngest never meets a stranger. My job is to temper their fears of the unknown with sensible caution. They all love the water so I insist they learn to swim and wear life jackets on the dock or boat. We have to drive places so we use car seats and seat belts. I teach them about stranger danger and help them meet new and interesting people in a safe manner.
I plan to take them and their parents to Israel one day. It's a place dear to my heart and I want to share it with my family. Like my trip in 2012, these future trips will likely be made after prayer and careful consideration. As human beings we were created to learn and grow by seeing and doing. Everyday is an opportunity for me to see and do something new and interesting. Living is risky but so is playing it safe.
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
Adults Know Everything
When I was a child growing up in the late fifties and sixties, I thought adults knew everything. In fact, I looked forward to the day when I would be an adult and know everything too. My parents gave me the rules and I followed them, usually no questions asked. My friends and I had a lot of freedom to go the playground, swing on vines across the creek, and fly kites in the field behind our houses, but when my dad whistled,I immediately responded.
My parents could do everything. My dad was an expert at gardening, fishing, and hunting. He and his friends even built a wooden fishing boat in our back yard. My mom owned a successful business, taught Sunday School, dressed nicely, and was well liked by everyone. They let me know early on that they expected me to be respectful, do my best in school, and graduate from college. It seemed if I did those things, my success was assured. So I did those things. In fact, I did my best to excel in all areas.
We were faithful members of a nearby church and if the doors were open, I was there. There was church and Sunday School on Sunday, weekday church school on Wednesday, vacation Bible School in the summer, and catechism classes when I was 12 and 13. School was easy for me even though I said I hated it! I lived for holidays and summer vacation. Summer meant swimming, fishing, and long days of bike riding, playing at the park, and hide and seek after dark. In retrospect, mine was an unbelievably blessed childhood. No wonder I thought adults knew everything. They made sure my life was safe and sound.
My life felt perfect in spite of the Cuban missile crisis, which I knew about from over-hearing my parents' conversations, the 7 O'clock news, and because we had Civil Defense sirens and drills at school. It was perfect in spite of the assassinations of JFK, MLK, and RFK. To me, these were isolated events caused by crazy individuals. Even though they were sad events, they did not affect my safety and security.
My life was perfect until I was almost 13. I distinctly remember being out of school for the summer when the Six Day War in Israel started. With both of my parents working, I was free to watch TV as long as my chores were done. So I ironed clothes and watched this historic war unfold. Prime Minister Golda Meir inspired me. Israel's severe underdog status frightened me. Their miraculous victory delighted me.
After this, I saw Israel as a modern day country with heroic people, not just some distant place and time to read about in the Bible. We read "The Diary of Anne Frank" in 8th grade. Then I discovered Leon Uris and read "Exodus" and "QB VII." How could people treat other people this way? Many of the adults in these books certainly didn't know everything. I was relieved that this horrible time was past and good had defeated evil once again.
I often quote words my dad told me. When I talked to him about the things I was reading in books, magazines and newspapers, his response was always, "Don't believe everything you read and only half of what you see." He and I would debate current events like Kent State and the Vietnam War protests. He was a veteran of WWII and served in France and Germany in 1945 and 1946. We watched war movies together and he shared his views and vast love of history with me. I was young and idealistic, not wanting to believe that the world was not safe and sound. In spite of the Cold War with the USSR and the ongoing Vietnam War, I still felt safe and secure in the United States of America, even if her adults did not actually know everything.
My parents could do everything. My dad was an expert at gardening, fishing, and hunting. He and his friends even built a wooden fishing boat in our back yard. My mom owned a successful business, taught Sunday School, dressed nicely, and was well liked by everyone. They let me know early on that they expected me to be respectful, do my best in school, and graduate from college. It seemed if I did those things, my success was assured. So I did those things. In fact, I did my best to excel in all areas.
We were faithful members of a nearby church and if the doors were open, I was there. There was church and Sunday School on Sunday, weekday church school on Wednesday, vacation Bible School in the summer, and catechism classes when I was 12 and 13. School was easy for me even though I said I hated it! I lived for holidays and summer vacation. Summer meant swimming, fishing, and long days of bike riding, playing at the park, and hide and seek after dark. In retrospect, mine was an unbelievably blessed childhood. No wonder I thought adults knew everything. They made sure my life was safe and sound.
My life felt perfect in spite of the Cuban missile crisis, which I knew about from over-hearing my parents' conversations, the 7 O'clock news, and because we had Civil Defense sirens and drills at school. It was perfect in spite of the assassinations of JFK, MLK, and RFK. To me, these were isolated events caused by crazy individuals. Even though they were sad events, they did not affect my safety and security.
My life was perfect until I was almost 13. I distinctly remember being out of school for the summer when the Six Day War in Israel started. With both of my parents working, I was free to watch TV as long as my chores were done. So I ironed clothes and watched this historic war unfold. Prime Minister Golda Meir inspired me. Israel's severe underdog status frightened me. Their miraculous victory delighted me.
After this, I saw Israel as a modern day country with heroic people, not just some distant place and time to read about in the Bible. We read "The Diary of Anne Frank" in 8th grade. Then I discovered Leon Uris and read "Exodus" and "QB VII." How could people treat other people this way? Many of the adults in these books certainly didn't know everything. I was relieved that this horrible time was past and good had defeated evil once again.
I often quote words my dad told me. When I talked to him about the things I was reading in books, magazines and newspapers, his response was always, "Don't believe everything you read and only half of what you see." He and I would debate current events like Kent State and the Vietnam War protests. He was a veteran of WWII and served in France and Germany in 1945 and 1946. We watched war movies together and he shared his views and vast love of history with me. I was young and idealistic, not wanting to believe that the world was not safe and sound. In spite of the Cold War with the USSR and the ongoing Vietnam War, I still felt safe and secure in the United States of America, even if her adults did not actually know everything.
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