Before:

Before the planting

After:

After the planting

Lifting hands in thankfulness for the following gifts this past week, #227-239:

227. a vegetable garden after a two-year break… and doubling the area

228. planting vegetables: tomatoes, spinach, lettuce, eggplant, cucumbers, zucchini… and a little spot left for green beans— will add these in this week  (the store was out!)

229. outing with a few girl friends to an old historic home and then lunch afterwards.

230. pretty sunset, glowing clouds, viewed from the backyard:

231. sweet end-of-year “presentation days” for the kids’ classes, with words of encouragement from teachers, a verse selected for each child, and a books as a gift for each. The first grader received a book of Bible Stories. He was recognized for leadership and remembering that as a leader, it’s important to set a wise example. The 4th grader received The Case for Christ for Kids. He was recognized for meekness… the teacher said he is assertive, but is also respectful and gentle. I was a happy mom. Special memories!

230. hearing daughter run the sewing machine in the other room… she’s making a little bag.

231. kind comments on the blog and new friends

232. Is it finally ok to put the winter clothes away? The temps this week are to be around the 80s. Yay!

233. Strawberry plants blooming… see the little berry behind the flower?

234. A bit tired and sore, in a good way, from gardening work.

235. Turning on the A/C on May 30… first time this season. I’m not sure where my shorts are, and really I prefer capris, so I wore those today. But need that A/C at night… can’t sleep in a sauna. My littlest (who is almost 8) got up one hour after bedtime and said it was too hot to sleep. Thankful it’s hot and thankful for the A/C!

236. Yet– it was still cool enough on Saturday night for a fire in the firepit (first one of the season), with hot dog and marshmallow roasting… yum and fun!

237. Learning a bit more about the little digital point and shoot camera—I can actually change the ISO setting, adjust some lighting, the flash, etc.

238. Blooming trees with gorgeous vibrant pink flowers; I have two of these trees in the yard:

238. “And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.” (Colossians 1:17). Thankful that God’s got it all under control.

239. “…and you are complete in Him…” (Col. 2:10).

I’m not sure if the vegetables newly planted will grow to completion, because one side of this garden is newly dug up, and the soil is a bit rocky. On the other side of the garden, the soil was full of weeds, grass and old roots that needed to be dug out, leaving us with the promise of much-weeding-to-be-done. The outcome of the labor and the planting is questionable; a harvest is not guaranteed. Even with these known factors of the not-so-great-soil, many factors are unknown, such as the weather (the warmth, the sun, the rain), the insects or pests, etc.

But, in this life, my life, which is a work in progress, I am promised completion… in the time now (you ARE complete in Him—present tense!), and in the time to come, I will also be complete. Amen!

I can view my life as a plant in progress, as a vine attached to Him, growing and bearing fruit here on earth, but fully complete when I enter His eternal presence one day. I have a before and after picture, too (and with many in-betweens)… so do we all who are new creations in Christ!

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Linking up with others sharing gifts of thanks at Ann Voskamp’s; click below to read others or join in: