My Little Gardener

My, grandone, C.  has been waiting to plant our little porch box,  last night he chose pink inpatients and one other little flower and today was perfect for planting.  The box and our front flower gardens are now groomed and planted with annuals.  The azalea bushes and coreopsis were already budding.  After a good weeding, the planting of our live Easter basket, putting our flowers in place in the hanging box and garden, setting up pots for next week's vegetable plant and digging half the hole for our pink dogwood tree - we called it a day.  Tomorrow  C. and Uncle will finish planting our tree. It was a good day.  I just love the ugly fingernails full of dirt and the tired that rests between the shoulders after a day of yard play...sweet tokens of clearing the mind and filling the soul. And what a blessing to have a little gardener who finds joy in the digging, too.  We were laughing and started chanting, "Pull the weeds and smell the flowers" -- but isn't that life -- It really is about pulling weeds and enjoying the flowers.

College Blessing

Whoo-hoo, two in college and one headed for Auntie's preschool!!!

New year...and another girlie looking to get into college.  Our niece was accepted in Lipscomb this last Thursday and recieved her certificate of acceptence today - we were all excited at the news.
 
I keep remembering a conversation, K and  I had last year about college.  I was the one who was a little concerned last year.  This year it was her, R.  We had a conversation out on our porch in early January; she turned in her common application a few days late and thought she would never have a chance at getting into Lipscomb or any other quality college this coming fall.  I assured her it is part of life to fail, miss a deadline, and even our sin - it is no surprise to God. He is so very gracious to us.  Isn't it wonderful that we don't get what we derserve. We prayed and I told her that God could do the unexpected - even though she hadn't met the deadline. God is so good, so gracious! 

She has worked on finding scholarships and scheduling and it's a go.  Lipscomb is a stone's throw from my work which is a real blessing, has a good medical program, a lovely campus, and an amazing library.
We give thanks our God, yet again, has done the unexpected.  It is good to give Him thanks, He deserves so much more than we can even think of.  He absolutely holds all things together - it is amazing to think that He loves us each as if we were an only child.  How does He do that?

Continual Repentance

O God of Grace,

You have imputed my sin to my substitute,
and have imputed his righteousness to my soul,
clothing me with a bridegroom's robe, decking me with jewels of holiness.
But in my Christian walk I am still in rags;
my best prayers are stained with sin; my penitential tears are so much impurity;
my confessions of wrong are so many aggravations of sin;
my receiving the Spirit is tinctured with selfishness.

I need to repent of my repentance;
I need my tears to be washed;
I have no robe to bring to cover my sins,
no loom to weave my own righteousness;
I am always standing clothed in filthy garments,
and by grace am always receiving change of raiment,
for you always justify the ungodly; I am always going into the far country,
and always returning home as a prodigal,
always saying, "Father, forgive me,"
and you are always bringing forth the best robe.

Every morning let me wear it,
every evening return in it,
go out to the day's work in it,
be married in it,
be wound in death in it,
stand before the great white throne in it,
enter heaven in it shining as the sun.

Grant me never to lose sight of the exceeding sinfulness of sin,
the exceeding righteousness of salvation,
the exceeding glory of Christ,
the exceeding beauty of holiness,
the exceeding wonder of grace.

- The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions

I don't ever remember reading this prayer before today, although I think maybe some sermons I have heard make reference to it... I love the balance of our "filthy garments" and His "best robe" imputed to us.  It is truly right thinking.  What an appropriate way to begin not only a prayer, but every day - "O God of Grace".