Category: blessings

Posted in blessings, color, creative, flower, God, heart, humble, memoir, passion, People, Physical, provision, purity, quote, royalty, season, Spiritual, thankful, warm, write, writer

In The Pink Reflections

Posted on by deannagreensandgardenart

These past few days have been a mixture of memories and enlightenment as I continue to write my memoir. Original poems, short stories, and recipes collected in one place. I am thankful and humbled by all the experiences I have lived with some incredible people. My Father God has blessed me beyond measure. Surely, I am having in the pink reflections.

“Pink is a beautiful color, because it is one of the colors that the sun makes at twilight and in the dawns.”
~ C. Joybell C.

Pinks, purples, fuchsia, and orange melt the evening skies this month. Fuchsia painted the night sky when the Northern lights came to us on May 5. Varied shades of pink roses, peonies, and wildflowers bring color to the yards, fields, windowsills, baskets, and vases. The warm weather season’s clothing and linens shout pink, the color between red’s passion and white’s purity. My heart.

My favorite is the brightest pink color, fuchsia. It evokes feelings of happiness, excitement, romance, maturity, assurance, acceptance, safety, self-confidence, and achievement. It’s warm red characteristics can have a comforting effect, promotes relaxation, intuition, and reflection. Fuchsia represents femininity, creativity, luxury, royalty and wealth.  All provisions from God.

Posted in bed, blessings, breathe, care, children, co-worker, comfort, creative, day, Family, father, food, friend, God, granddaughter, husband, Jesus, joy, love, neighbor, thankful, words

One Big Chore, One Big Love

Posted on by deannagreensandgardenart

Life has become one big chore once again. Busyness and obligations have taken over my calendar and mindset. I dislike it when I allow these to take over my gratefulness and joy in life. Little time to think about what I want to think about and do what I want to do. Like reading, writing, and creating, the introvert’s dream.

This busy season too shall pass as other seasons have and will do. Besides carving out the space and time for a few days of reprieve, it is taking moments during these pressing everyday things to thank God for the breath I breathe, the food I eat, warm bed to sleep in, and loved ones to care for. I count it a blessing to be a part of the lives of many family members that include my husband, children and their spouses, grandchildren, a parent still with us, and a big extended family. Then there are my friends, co-workers, and neighbors. I feel I neglect so many. One day at time, sweet Jesus. Allow time for a tea with my granddaughter, hug and cuddle my grandbaby, party with the young ones, or an early morning breakfast at the neighborhood diner with my love. Guide my tongue to speak words at the apt time.

“Like apples of gold in settings of silver
Is a word spoken at the right time.”

Proverbs 25:11

Tyler Childers does a wonderful rendition of Space and Time, a song original to S. G. Goodman. The lyrics so eloquent and apropos. My heart is singing again …

I never wanna leave this world
Without sayin’, “I love you”
Without sayin’ what you mean to me
You know you make me happy
Oh, when we, share this space and time
Want you to know you shape this heart of mine
And I never wanna leave this world, oh
Without sayin’, “I love you”
Oh, and out in the woods
This picture is clear to me
I owe my life, to even my enemies
The ones who have loved me
The ones who have tried
Thеir grips on my heart
And their grips on my mind
The strangеr I pass, my momma, brothers
Friends and my father
They’re God undercover
I’m tellin’ you now
In case I must go
Want you to know
I never wanna leave this world
Without sayin’, “I love you”
Without sayin’ what you mean to me
You know you make me happy
Oh, when we, share this space and time
Want you to know you shape this heart of mine
And I never wanna leave this world, oh
Without sayin’, “I love you”

Posted in art, atelier, battle, blessings, challenges, Christian, corner, creative, eyes, faith, garden, gardener, gift, give, God, heart, Holy Spirit, husband, mind, passion, path, prayer, road, share, time, walk, words, works, writer

Round The Corner

Posted on by deannagreensandgardenart

“Still round the corner there may wait a new road or a secret gate.” ~ J.R.R. Tolkien

Hard work can be disguised in a hobby. Passion and interest can occupy one’s attention, energy, and time. One starts on a project of great detail. Maybe a cup or two of coffee or tea to keep the momentum going. Then 5, 6, or 8 hours later you are scrambling for a bite to eat and cannot believe what time it is. This is how it has been with baking, gardening, birdwatching, crafting, reading, and writing for me. New brain pathways travelled, mysteries are discovered, prayers said, challenges are overcome, and beauty is found in whatever has been created.

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” ~ Thomas Edison

Still round the corner awaits another adventure. One that God has placed in my life, your life. A path waiting to be uncovered and walked on. There are bends and forks in the road, and the Holy Spirit is our guide and protector. With eyes of faith an atelier at the cottage here or elsewhere is in the making. A place designated to work on these projects the heart has passion for. A place of our own to create and bless others with God’s gifts. What is around your corner?

Posted in anxious, blessings, care, community, cousin, depression, die, Emotional, empty, failure, faith, Family, feelings, God, house, hurt, job, joy, love, Mental, mercy, neighbor, pain, People, Physical, prayer, water, weep

Lavish Love

Posted on by deannagreensandgardenart

Some days I feel people just don’t even give a damn. Other days it hurts to see those you love in pain, physical or emotional anguish. I holler out, “God, where is Your mercy, Your justice.” Then other days when the flood waters rise, it is hard to see God in it. We prayed for rain after 100+ degree temps and no rain for days this scorching summer. We got it alright in one stormy night of 8 -12 inches of rain. Destruction surrounds us and the local news captures the next devastating story of the flash floods. One person dead. 10 puppies from a stray rescue facility drown. Basements and houses fill with water. Businesses close. No flood insurance for most. Is this the Noah’s ark story being told again, I wonder? I attended the funeral service for my uncle this week. A man wrongly accused the latter days of his life. My cousin cried. Many of us shed our own tears, crying for mercy.

The pastor who shared at my uncle’s eulogy reminded us of the beautiful Japanese art form that is made from broken fragments. Nothing is wasted, everything made beautiful it its time. Ravishing lavish love, this is what I want. Flooding in. It’s what we all want. People will fail, just living this life will disappoint, but God does not. His love is perfect. Let Him fill that emptiness you feel with His perfect love. The anxiety about your present-day situation will subside. Feeling overwhelmed is real . . . Stop now. Pray. Count your blessings. Your cup will overflow with His love. Families, neighbors, and the community have come and will come together to help those in need. People and pets are rescued. Officials and first responders care and continue to share the burden. Jesus is carrying you. He cares.

“May mercy, peace, and love be lavished on you!” ~ Jude 1:2

Posted in authors, blessings, book, change, children, community, Crescent Dragonwagon, daughter, Family, feelings, God, grandchild, granddaughter, happy, house, husband, job, People, silence, solitude, walk, write, writer

New Pace And Space

Posted on by deannagreensandgardenart

I have taken on a new opportunity this summer, and not just for this summer. On June 1 I retired from my full-time HR position in order to slow my pace down. I have more time for the activities I love like gardening, cooking, antiquing, and writing. Even with these fun hobbies, I am learning to pace myself so I get enough sleep, exercise, and make healthier food choices and proper time to consume. For additional income I am teaching culinary classes part-time with kids’ 1/2-day camps this summer. Come the fall semester, I will teach culinary classes 2 evenings a week to kids as well as adults.

More time for family is the another reason to slow my pace down. My husband and I already spent a weekend at the lake with his three children, spouses and three grandchildren. Next weekend I will be opening a booth in an antique mall with my daughters and granddaughters. But this week, is time for myself. I signed up for a writing residency at the Writing Colony at Dairy Hollow in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. I learned of this place over 15 years ago. This place has been in existence for 20 years. I could almost pinch myself, to check if it is real. I am actually staying at the Dairy Hollow house made famous by author, Crescent Dragonwagon. I am taking a week’s residency in the comfortable culinary suite creating some recipes to share in a book of short stories with a culinary theme. My first book. See what becomes of this week. It has been productive so far.

I take casual walks in this enchanted town of Victorian wrap-around porches, bungalows with inviting archways, crevices filled with wildflowers, groves of trees and moss-covered cliffs laced throughout the town. I do some porch sitting, watching the hummingbirds and song birds feed. While on the front porch yesterday afternoon sipping iced peppermint herbal tea a doe and her fawn meandered between the two residency buildings. Later this afternoon I hear the readings of one of my fellow writers at the Carnegie Library a few short blocks away. I will make it to the farmer’s market and a couple of local shops tomorrow morning before returning to the laptop for my story writing and making a peach-blueberry slump. Visits with the other writing residents have been at dinner time. We sit and dine for an hour at a long table filled with delightful foods prepared by an excellent cook from the Old World. Yes, life is good. I feel God’s blessings.

Posted in art, battle, believe, blessings, challenges, community, crown, death, die, differences, faith, Family, friend, friends, God, health, heart, hope, Jesus, job, life, mother, neighbor, pain, scripture, together, trust, veteran

Broken Pieces

Posted on by deannagreensandgardenart

In 1944 and 1945 during the World War II, U.S. Army Chaplain Frederick A. McDonald walked where the places of worship once stood. Shards of stained glass scattered the streets. He sent selected pieces to his home in Seattle while the war was coming to an end. He did know the intent other than to preserve what he witnessed while serving as a chaplain. Years later he and a colleague commissioned artist to use the shards of glass for what would become masterpieces of art. The exhibit is owned by the Interfaith Center at the Presidio in San Francisco. “The exhibition is a metaphor for what division breeds — and for what happens when people set aside differences and try to build something out of the broken pieces,” quoting Indra Neelameggham, Salt Lake Interfaith Roundtable.

Life has no guarantees, no refunds. Conflict, poor health, toxic relationships, lost jobs. Or worse yet; war, a painful death, domestic abuse, and becoming homeless. These real struggles plague our lives either for ourselves, our loved ones, our neighbors, and our communities. Like the sharpness of broken glass pieces, sometimes life feels like your heart is cut out while the pumping blood spews.

For a few weeks the church next door shared this message on their marquee sign, “Broken things become blessed things if you let God do the mending.” Do you believe that message? If not, it is a walk of faith for those broken things to become blessed things. Faith in our God, not in our own abilities or those of others. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” ~ Proverbs 3:5.

Posted in blessings, body, community, creative, flower, garden, gardener, God, health, nourish, quote, rain, rest, scripture, strength, water

Well-Watered Garden

Posted on by deannagreensandgardenart

Rain (and snow) are part of a cyclical watering process.  This is what we count on to water our gardens and the earth.  Sometimes those rains are far and few in between.  And other times, we think the infamous ark may come in handy.  I spend many minutes that turn into hours attending to plants for pleasure and stress-release.  The soil, greens, and flowers’ colors nourish my soul.  From these rains nature’s waterfalls and garden fountains flow life-giving water.  The birds, squirrels, and deer gather to drink.

I, like the garden, need a drink from the rains to nourish my body and soul.  Daily.  The droughts last too long.  And the floods overwhelm.  Author Dan Buettner writes about the COVID crises, “like most hardships, it will materialize as a blessing in the rearview mirror.”  I can say this is the case for me.  Staying home, working remotely has given me time for my thoughts and soul to collect raindrops; get plenty of sleep, eat healthier, walk daily sometimes two times a day, and to reach out to others in creative ways.  “The Lord will always lead you. He will meet the needs of your soul in the dry times and give strength to your body. You will be like a garden that has enough water, like a well of water that never dries up.” ~ Isaiah 58:11 (New Life Version).  The hymn Rain Down …

Rain down
Rain down
Rain down your love on your people
Rain down
Rain down
Rain down your love, God of life

Faithful and true is the Word of our God
All of God’s works are so worthy of trust
God’s mercy falls on the just and the right
Full of God’s love is the earth

Rain down
Rain down
Rain down your love on your people
Rain down
Rain down
Rain down your love, God of life

We who revere and find hope in our God
Live in the kindness and joy of God’s wing
God will protect us from darkness and death
God will not leave us to starve

Rain down
Rain down
Rain down your love on your people
Rain down
Rain down
Rain down your love, God of life

God of creation, we long for Your truth
You are the water of life that we thirst
Grant that Your love and peace touch our hearts
All of our hope lies in You.

Rain down
Rain down
Rain down your love on your people
Rain down
Rain down
Rain down your love, God of life

 

Posted in answer, believe, blessings, challenges, day, farmer, fear, give, God, night, scripture

Do You Know?

Posted on by deannagreensandgardenart

Do you wonder where God is in all the fear and destruction that one virus has brought to this world, and why?  I cannot answer the question “why”.  But I can look around and count God’s blessings in every moment of my day and night.  God is among us.  The rocky wall is covered with moss overflowing.  This green velvet foliage is not bound by a rock’s edge.  This reminds me of our Father who gives in overflowing measure.  The egg carton is filled with farm fresh eggs, and more to come.  My empty egg cartons supply an urban chicken farmer with much needed containers, who supplies me and a few more families with a dozen fresh farm eggs this spring morning.  Give, and you shall receive.  The sky is on fire flaming its gold and amber into pink and purple haze.  This can only be God’s handiwork, His masterpiece. Commune with Him.  This is an opportunity worth taking. Believe me. “Oh, that we might know the Lord! Let us press on to know Him, and He will respond to us as surely as the coming of dawn or the rain of early spring.”  ~ Hosea 6:3.

Posted in blessings, community, friends, God, grace, mind, prayer, scripture

Scattered Seeds

Posted on by deannagreensandgardenart

The ladies group I have been involved with since late spring has been a source of tremendous mutual support.  We pray for each other and talk through anything plaguing our minds.  Much that we battle with someone else we know has battled with before.  Why not talk about it, learn from each other?  If trust and confidence is there amongst a community, then there is freedom from stereotypes and judgment.  I cannot say that would be the case with any group of women, but it is with this one.  Grace abounds.

I headed out the door late this morning, sunhat and eagerness to get to Long Row Lavender where we met for a lunch and walked amongst the lavender field today.  Gorgeous September afternoon.  We enjoyed a light luncheon of sandwiches, fresh fruit,  and tea.  Their iced lavender tea was delicious.  Two of the ladies have young boys, so it was a party of four women and three boys under the age of 8.  On our walk we noticed a couple of varieties of lavender as well as zinnias and sunflowers.  The idea is to attract bees, and there were many.  The sunflowers drooped loaded with seeds in their heads.  Some spilled onto the ground.  The children thought this was fascinating.

The parable of scattered seeds came to mind. “A farmer was sowing grain in his fields.  As he scattered the seed across the ground, some fell beside a path, and the birds came and ate it. And some fell on rocky soil where there was little depth of earth; the plants sprang up quickly enough in the shallow soil, but the hot sun soon scorched them and they withered and died, for they had so little root. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns choked out the tender blades. But some fell on good soil and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as he had planted. If you have ears, listen!” ~ Matthew 13: 3- 9.  What seeds am I sowing?  Have I prepared my soil to be good?  Am I watered in the Word of God and feeding my soul with His goodness?  Today was a wonderful day, soaking in His creation and the blessing of friends.

Posted in blessings, challenges, cry, die, differences, friend, God, hurt, joy, laugh, live, pain, strength, worry

The Strength In “Today”

Posted on by deannagreensandgardenart

“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength,” Corrie Ten Boom is quoted.  What keeps you from enjoying this present moment? Is it worry about meeting bills or a sick loved one?  Too many projects to accomplish in the day, maybe well into those night hours?  If you read carefully the quoted words above, strength is found in “today”.  “Today” is a mighty word.  Literally means “on the day”, “at this day”, “from-day”, “in day” in several languages.  Present day, present moment.

Maybe today is not so good.  In physical pain.  Hurting on the inside.  A relationship needs to be patched of its differences.  Saying “goodbye” to a beloved friend or family pet.  Present moment seems to be a challenge.

These are lyrics by Randy Sparks and made known by John Denver’s voice:

Today, while the blossoms still cling to the vine
I’ll taste your strawberries, I’ll drink your sweet wine

A million tomorrows shall all pass away
‘Ere I forget all the joy that is mine, today

I can’t be contented with yesterday’s glory
I can’t live on promises winter to spring
Today is my moment, now is my story
I’ll laugh and I’ll cry and I’ll sing

Today, while the blossoms still cling to the vine
I’ll taste your strawberries, I’ll drink your sweet wine
A million tomorrows shall all pass away
‘Ere I forget all the joy that is mine, today

 Embrace the full of joy of TODAY despite all the rest…God’s blessings are yours always.