Prepared for battle.....

 Nov. 23, 2020

I had to come back today and reread my own blog to give me courage and strength today!!! 

I listened to Jay Sekulow on the radio this morning.  He said what I know - that our country is in a big battle.  WE ARE IN THE BATTLE NOW!!!!!   He said we are to be prepared for battle and always to be ready. That is what I said yesterday. 

Then today I read in 2 Cor. 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.  I also read in Psalm 149:6 Let the high praises of God be in their throats and two-edged swords in their hands. 

Yes - we are in the battle today!  It is a battle for our freedom and well-being, for our children and their children's future.

We must prayer hard for our country, our leadership, for repentance for our sins, for revival for us all, for salvation for our family, friends, and fellow Americans. Pray that if there is cheating and evil, that it can be made know and stopped.  Pray for righteousness! 

Lord God - we know we are in a battle for righteousness.  We know there are many that are against You and Your standards and values.  Please come to help us!  The battle is Yours!! Come to our rescue!  May Your Holy Name be glorified!! Amen!

Spiritual slant on 'look good - feel good - do good"

 Nov. 22, 2020

In April when I first started this blog I wrote an article about getting up and getting dressed first thing.  It was about being ready for your day.  I stated that when you get dressed and look good you are more likely to get things accomplished.

Today I want to apply this to our spiritual walk.  We must get up in the morning and get ready spiritually.  It is ever so sweet to be able to spend time with our Lord in His Word.  We need this to be ready for the battle that each day brings.  

There are many 'good' things the Lord has for us to do each day.  Most of you reading this are spending the majority of your time taking care of your spouses or children and that is what God has for you.  I am so thankful to be able to do so many positive things for God.  

BUT we must be aware there is a battle going on around us to take us down, to make us fail or fall, or to give up, or to get sidetracked.  There are enemies all around us wanting us to fail. Eph. 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

I'm saying go into the day with one hand working and your sword in the other hand.  That is what the Israelite men had to do when they were rebuilding the wall in Jerusalem.

Nehemiah 4:15 When our enemies heard that it was known to us aand that God had frustrated their plan, we all returned to the wall, each to his work. 16 From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and bcoats of mail. And the leaders stood behind the whole house of Judah, 17 who were building on the wall. Those who carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other. 18 And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built.

We have the victory through Christ.  Pv. 21:31b the victory belongs to the LORD. The first part in winning the battle is remembering we are IN THE BATTLE. It is a fact of life.  It is not our choice but it is where we live. 

SO get up and dressed and be ready for it.  Work with all your might to accomplish what God has for you to do BUT also fight against evil with all your might. Be prepared!!

How to get petunias to come back year after year.....

 Nov. 12, 2020

For those of you who love gardening and hate to pay for plants each spring I have an idea for you.

For years now I have had petunias come back each year.  

In the fall I put my flower pots 'to bed' for the winter.  That means I don't pull the old dead flowers out, rather I bend them over in the pot.  This gives the old flowers time to drop their seed into the pot and it keeps the soil covered for the winter so the winter doesn't blow the seeds and dirt away.  

I leave the pots this way until about April.  Then I gently removed the old debris without digging up much of the soil. Sometimes I add a little more potting soil if the pot needs it.  And yes I use the soil for several years before replacing it and I fertilize them several times a summer.  As the weather warms I begin watering the pots about once a week.  Soon, as the weather warms, you'll see little petunias begin sprouting.  They will come up thick and you may thin them out and transplant them to another area.  I find that these petunias are more stringy and gangly as they grow than ones I buy at the store each season.  Several times during the summer then I trim them back to shorten them up and they come right back blooming again.  The picture below shows petunias that came back from seed the prior year in a flower garden.  I did the same thing with the flower garden as I do with my pots.  Have fun gardening!