This Summer in our Yard

Paul and Leah are playing in the water table. It is such a hot summer day:)




They couldn't help but to start splashing each other.





I think Paul has something on his finger.






Our garden is really growing. I picked my first green bean the other day.

Plus another handful today. I had to rig the fence better to keep the dog out.

I think she is literally jumping over the fence most of the time.

Next year we will have to get better fencing just to keep her out.




Snap peas have a few flowers, but don't seem to be doing so well.

The cucumbers are blooming, but the leaves are getting all chewed up.

My tomatoes are doing very well. They are turning colors.

We will have lots of tomatoes this year.

We have already started eating the lettuce. It is doing so well:)

Leah loves the garden.

There is so much we are learning from our garden. One of my biggest challenges is the weeds. There are so many of them. I think they were in the soil before we even planted the vegetables. There are so many of them. And it seems impossible to get them all out. At first I said, "Well the wheat has to grow with the tares"...but then I realized that the weeds were choking some of the plants. So I needed to get in there and get them out. The ones I really dislike are the spiney ones that have really deep roots. You have to dig really deep to get those...then half the time they break off and the root is still down there. Then you wait for them to resurface so you can go at them again.

What a metaphore for our lives. There are so many things that can get into our minds that take root. Some of those roots are pretty deep. And you have to keep waiting for them to resurface before you can tackle them again...and then again. These are the things that keep us from growing and having a relationship with our Creator. I am so glad that we have such a loving and patient Father in heaven.

I came across this verse today that brought some peace to my heart...

"The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)

The chapter goes on about what is to come for those who don't repent... and goes on to project the type behavior we should have..."in peace, spotless, blameless"! The only way to have that is to know our Saviour!

Heavenly Father...thank you for the lessons we are learning from our garden.