Our First Share

We picked up our first share from our local farm. I know it's strange, but I am so excited. The produce traveled about 2 miles from farm to home. I've already written about some of the benefits of buying local, so I won't go on and on.
Now I just have to figure out what to do with these new veggies.

Anybody have any good recipes for parsnips, turnips, kohlrabi, kale or beets?

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day!

I was woken up very early with a very loud and cheerful "Happy Mama's Day!" Paul usually leaves the house before 7 on Sundays, but being the wonderful husband he is, he waited until 7:01 to wake me up. The girls (Paul) brought me a chocolate donut and peppermint tea in bed. It was very sweet.

I hope you were honored and showered with love on Mother's day.
Happy Mother's Day to all my friends. You are all Great Moms!

A New Pet

Last night Olivia had a nightmare. Her crying and shouting woke me up at 3:30 this morning. She was really upset and in between cries was saying repeatedly, "Mama, I don't want a crocodile! Mamaaaa, I don't want a crocodile!"
Our cat was eaten last summer but we don't have any plans to replace her, but if we did...it would NEVER be a crocodile!

God's Covenant with Earth

This passage was briefly mentioned in the class I sat in on at the Pepperdine Lectureships. The class was on Environmentalism from God's perspective (not the exact title.) I was going over my notes and read these verses again. As I was outside watering my garden I was looking at the birds and watching the leaves on the trees sway in the wind and I was struck with awe and a lot of questions.

First I'll show the text.


Genesis 9:8-17 (New International Version)
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society



"Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: "I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you—every living creature on earth. I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth."

And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth." So God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.""

Did you ever notice that God made covenant with the earth? What does that mean? Who does God generally make covenant with? Does God make covenant with those he loves, is ambivalent towards or to that which he may be apathetic? Why would God make a covenant with the earth? Can we assume that if God is not going to destroy the earth by flood that he wouldn't want it destroyed by any other means as well? What does creation do to keep their covenant with God?

That is the bulk of my questioning. I was outside feeling a little like Saint Francis, asking (in my mind only) the birds what it means that God made covenant with them? What about the trees? Do they know of God's love, hope and continual patience?

As For Me

I feel like I should add a post to the last post about taking a day of rest. I wanted to add a personal note to it and say that for me, personally, it is not an easy thing to do.

As a family we take Mondays as a time to be together since Saturdays and Sundays are busy for Paul. I love our Mondays together. They've turned into our "hike and picnic" day, which is great. We usually end up at home around 1 or 2 in the afternoon and literally everyone takes a nap...except me. With Paul home and the kids resting my first urge is to find an excuse to race out of the house. Sometimes I go for a bike ride, but other times I go shopping. And I don't think that those are inherently bad things, but I like the idea of my mind being at peace in the moment and not always jumping to the next need or want. I think God would like that of me too. He wants us to find peace and contentment in Him.

So, I wanted to share that just to say that I'm not trying to judge or condemn others for where they are in their walk with God. Where I am right now is trying to live in the moment more and be at peace with the now.

Which also makes me feel like I should say something else. The things I share here about diet and lifestyle happen to be really good for MY heart at this time, but obviously might not be where you are. I share them because I do think that people and societies think similarly and that if I'm considering certain things that chances are God is leading other people to move in that direction as well. If gardening and eating organic doesn't fill you with awe for God that is OK. Maybe it's quilting, or running or sailing. The Holy Spirit is guiding us in many areas of our life.

We went to the Pepperdine Lectureships this week. I enjoyed seeing some familiar faces and hearing some good lessons. There was even a class on environmentalism from God's perspective. It really made me joyful to listen to the lesson, and I'm sure you'll be reading about it more later on. I feel renewed and filled with thankfulness for where we are in life.