I Never Finished

 I realized a few weeks ago that I never really finished the new home tour.

I had been a little stuck in a few rooms

or was waiting to finish something.

So I will continue the tour with the master bedroom.

I had been stuck on the curtains because I just had one color.

Then I was happier with two colors with one pulled back.

There are curtain lights behind the curtains to add just a bit of light as we chit chat at night.

There is the repainted dresser.

And yes, we are already using a fan, because it is too early to start the air conditioning.

It is fairly simple,

but I think we have landed on the finished product.

(unless I put a chair in the corner for reading)

Remember

 As the beginning of April rolled around,

a blog post also rolled around in my mind,

but it never made it into the blogosphere.

At the beginning of April, 

we celebrated an anniversary -

the anniversary of our move.

What a year it has been!

There has been a new location.

There has been a new job position in a new location.

There has been a new church.

There has been the purchase of our first home

and ensuing payments and lessons about home ownership.

There has been injury.

There has been healing.

There has been the resuming of old ministries

and the finding of new ministry.

We have been studying Deuteronomy 5 and 6 at church.

They are chapters on remembering, reviewing, and teaching about the past,

Hubby and I have rehearsed so many blessings - 

God is faithful.

Though we have no children to rehearse the blessing with,

we will share with anyone who will listen.

Change is exciting and hard.

But if God is leading,

if God is in the change,

if you will leave self and rely on Him,

He will show Himself faithful.

And just to set the record straight,

He is faithful even when we are not,

though the outcome may not be what we are looking for.

A New and Different Challenge

I had returned to the Couch 2 5K program when I was feeling the need to get my stamina back after my time in a cast.

It was going well.

I spent as long as I wanted on each "week" of the plan and I was progressing.

And then a new opportunity came along.

It was another running training program.

This one came with even more variety and with an app that did the timing for me.

I had looked at it many times, but could not justify the price.

BUT!

They had a brief promo.

If I could run or walk 26 miles in the length of my enrollment,

they would give me the cost of my program back.

I can walk 26 miles in a week - 

surely I could do it in 6 months!

So I enrolled,

and I am enjoying the new program and challenge.

And yes, 

I have earned my program cost back!

I am thankful for the opportunity and for the promotion that allowed me to try the app for free.

By the way, the app is Joggo.

New Life

 With bare root plants and trees, 

there is always a waiting and a wondering.

Will they survive the transplant?

Will they come out of dormancy?

Will they bear fruit?

I have been watching all of my little plants looking for life,

but especially the fruit trees and bushes.

What a joy when the first leaves appeared!

What a joy to see the new life!

The columnar apple tree even has the start of an apple blossom!

And then I thought,

about the desire for proof of life in my Christian walk.

Do others look at me and wonder if I will bare fruit?

Do they wonder if there will be a sign of life?

I hope not.

But just as I eagerly look for signs of life on my little plants,

I should be seeking to bring forth fruit.

The right soil is there if I am abiding in Christ.

The right food is there if I am reading His Word.

Those that be planted in the house of the Lord 

shall flourish in the courts of our God.

Psalm 92:13

The Happy Accident

 It appears that last week was the approved week to ship plants to Bowling Green, KY.

I am only waiting on some phlox that are supposed to arrive this coming Friday.

So last week, I spent working on the perennial bed.

I had a great time in a beautiful week digging, turning, planning, planting.

I even had the company of a crew working on the neighboring house one day.

Then we had a brief storm on Friday night.

As hubby and I watched the water running through the garden like a river and pooling in random spots,

we knew that if we didn't make a change,

the little plants would die.

So Saturday, he built me a dry creek - 

a sort of canal for the water to collect in.

I replanted and think that most, if not all, of the plants now have a chance.

What a blessing that we could fill the bottom with construction debris behind the house.

We could dispose of unwanted clay behind the house.

And our little garden has quite a bit of character ...

a happy accident.

a ready source of drainage rocks 

our pile of sod and clay

We spent the rest of the day learning more about "lawn farming."

Hubby aerated a small portion,

I removed some thatch,

and we patched some bare spots.

We just enjoyed a beautiful day together appreciating the blessing of our little home and its small piece of land.