The Gardens

With no garden area, or room for a big garden, the kids have become resourceful at growing their garden patches.

Victoria had Nick cultivate the edge of their lawn on one end of their yard.   The tall fencing will shade the more fragile plants from the hot California sun.   Victoria and Madison removed all the bricks from their patio and used them for a framework for their garden.

 

Planted to make the most of the space available, Victoria and Madison now have a thriving garden, watered by the automatic watering system!  Life is good!

Everything is growing and doing well.

The strawberry plants in the front yard already have strawberries ripe for picking.   The harvest has already got a start!

Huimin had less options for a garden.  She took Tim shopping and they came home with supplies to build their own. She then organized and planted her garden. 

The garden is easily accessible on their patio, with a watering hose within reach and a fence to protect the plants from the strong winds that blow over the coastal plains of California.  

They have a perfect little patio garden.  Serena will soon be mothering all those little plants and I am sure Timmy is anxious to get the water hose out to water them!  

Be Watchful

As we draw closer to the end, Satan is rising up against us on all sides.  His lies are in our homes, schools, music, churches and wherever he can reach us.  But, the Lord keeps His children.  Be watchful and be diligent and trust in the Lord.  The time of Satan's reign is soon to draw to an end and he knows it and he will try to destroy you and your family.

Matthew 10:¹⁶ "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. ¹⁷ But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues...."  

You Never Let Go by Matt Redman:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FWj7yqf6oM

This next one is so cute!  Oh Yea! 

Nothing But the Blood by Kidsrealm:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gORg-6Ig0Y4&feature=related

Mother's Day Blessings!

The greatest gift a mother can receive is to know that her children have grown up to be great parents.  Parents that love their children and parents that teach their children to pray. 

There was a pastor on tv yesterday that spoke of "conditional love" that some parents have for their children.  I only caught a little bit of the message by Dr. Charles Stanley, but the term "conditional love" really caught my attention.  You hear of God's unconditional love for His children, and we are to love likewise, but you don't hear of  "conditional love."

This world is so full of hurting children!  Children that bear the brunt of angry parents, children that must live up to unrealistic expectations, children whose wills are broken so that they live in total subjugation and fear of controlling parents, children that are abused verbally and physically.  Discipline should be a teaching tool, not a punishment.  Children should not be beaten because mom or dad is angry.  We are to have an enduring love, filled with patience and longsuffering love for the child, as God has for us.   What is so hard to just love the child?  That child has a natural love for the parent.  Let that love grow, blossom,  and reach out into the world.   

Jesus tells us that we must become as children to enter heaven.   Heaven is for the innocent, those whose sins have been washed away; and then we, as children of God, in humbleness and love, will enter into the majesty and glory of our Lord!

Matthew 18:2 Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, 3 and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.