Bearing Fruit

SUMMERTIME FRUITS!

With it being summertime, some of our favorite fruits are in season. We LOVE to eat freshly picked strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, boysenberries...and don't forget watermelons, apples, apricots, peaches, pears and plums. Yum, yum, yum!! Makes my mouth water just talking about it!
We have many times gone peach picking and come home with our whole trunk full of those delicious little fuzz-balls, only to spend the next day or so afterward canning and jamming and making peach pies, peach butter, peach cobbler, peach whatever! It's quite the ordeal, and a lot of work. But we sure do enjoy opening our own canned fruit at the holidays, and the accomplishment of knowing it was our hard efforts that made those treats possible!

Did you ever stop to think how often the Bible uses words like Fruit, gardening, farming, sowing , planting, vines, watering, gleaning and such to describe our lives here and who we are, and what we are to look like and be like as God's People?

I wonder if God enjoys watching us grow and bear fruit in season, as the Bible talks about Psalm One. I'd almost bet He sits up in Heaven and oohs and aahs about our growth at every little stage!! I get so excited watching my plants grow, knowing that one day I'll get to eat what I planted-Just like a farmer rejoices at the crop- not just at harvest time, but each step along the way. First he sows the seed, then waters, then tends to them as they sprout and grow, carefully watching for anything that will come and destroy all of his labors, and finally after all that time of nurturing and tending, he is able to harvest the field or garden, and enjoy the fruits of his labors.

I think God is like that too. Can you imagine the smile on God's face when He sees His little ones struggle through a season of hardship, only to come out with some new and wonderful "fruit" on the other side of the pain and suffering. I'd even bet God cries when He sees our sorrow and hurts as we struggle along in our journey through this life. He really cares about all of the details in our lives. I learn so much more about God through gardening- He is the Ultimate Good Farmer!

Phil 1:6 says "He who has begun a good work in you will be FAITHFUL TO COMPLETE IT!"
Whatever you are going through, remember, God is faithful to complete the work He starts!
You are the plant that He is raising and tending...

He wants you to bear good fruit!

2 Th 3:3 "But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one."
Call out to God with all of your daily cares. He is a very good listener, and has your best interest in mind!

Col. 1:10 "And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord, and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God"

Are you bearing fruit for God this summertime?

Something to think about!

Long time no "C" (connection, that is!)

A funny thing happened on the way to the internet...

Our satellite ISP has been with Hughes.net. Well, we haven't been connected online for some time now, due to a satellite failure, and therefore haven't been able to post a new blog for a while.

This has been both good and bad!

One good reason for me is that we didn't have a post about me on my birthday -July 6th!! That means I didn't have to have my picture taken, nor think up anything to say about myself, nor divulge my real age! I guess that means you'll just have to wait until next year to find out about me! (Not that that's any loss to you, I'm sure!)

The bad thing about not having our internet was that it put critical business related correspondences on hold for a while. Frustrating to us but, fortunately, our customers and others were patient during the process!! Smile! Another bad reason is that we haven't been able to check out other's blogs lately. Hopefully we'll be able to catch up on the goings-on in BLOGLAND!

How did you spend your Fourth of July?

Did you get to watch any firework displays?

We enjoyed a lovely display timed to a local radio station. They did a great job and had a very exciting and colorful finale!

Blessings to you from SUNNY SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA!

Time Flies

PHEW! What a week! What a month!

I don't know about the rest of you, but time sure seems to fly by fast around here!

I can scarcely  believe it's already middle of June with the Fourth of July(what I consider to be halfway thru the year marker) right around the corner.

Oh, yes, and  HAPPY SUMMER to all of you, as today is the first day of summer, officially-  my calendar said so! Maybe that's why the weather was a whopping 111 degrees here yesterday, and probably equally so today.  There is a slight breeze blowing, kinda like standing in front of a blow dryer!  You know it must be summertime when even at 9 or 10 PM it's still over 80 degrees!

There's Plenty to be thankful for during these hot days, however:

  

1. The warm weather has our garden and flower gardens in full bloom, and everything is growing like weeds, including the weeds!
   
2. We are all in relatively "good health". A HUGE blessing, considering some of the stories we have recently heard of friends in the hospital and or injured in one way or another. 
   
3. We have work to do- and lots of it!  God may not plop a big chunk of cash-money into our laps, but He is always faithful to provide for our family the opportunity to work and earn our living.  We are thankful for His provision.
   
4. Our cars have air-conditioning, our house doesn't.  But it costs so much these days to just go driving around aimlessly just to get cooled off!  Kind of funny I think.  We are thankful for our portable swamp cooler for the COOL-ER air it provides for some relief!  (Aren't humans just the most finicky creatures?) Too hot, too cold, too this, too that, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH!
   
5. Out of the blue, coincidently, or by providence, (whichever way you choose to look at it), I received three phone calls in a row, one right after the other, from three friends I hadn't talked to in a while.  I was very blessed and surprised!  That doesn't happen often for me, so I thought it was great!  THANK YOU, LORD for friends!
   
6. Our house wasn't hit by earthquake, flood, major power outages, tornados, landslides, monsoon, freezing or famine- at least not yet!  The fires were close enough earlier this year, so I'm thinking that we can be pretty thankful for that as well.  Our cozy little country home down our rutty dirt road... aaaahhhh, paradise! Or at least HOME SWEET HOME!
   

I think I'll put a marshmallow on a stick outside and see if it'll get roasted in the hot sunshine. 

If so, I'll make S'MORES!  Yummy!  

That is, if the chocolate hasn't already melted!!  Then that would be 

sad :(  

and messy, 

and well, maybe even a little disgusting! (smile!) 

HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SUMMER EVERYONE!!!   ;)

Our beautiful coastline

The other day I was out running errands. It was a beautiful day here in sunny southern California, so I thought I'd stop by the beach and take a picture or two. Below, these shots are taken at Moonlight Beach in Encinitas, CA. from the parking lot overlooking the beach. Peaceful, easy waves flow along the sandy shores soon to be invaded by the summer crowds.


Psalm 40: 5

" Many, O Lord my God, are your wonderful works which you have done; and your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; If I would declare and speak of them , they are more than can be numbered."

WSGMA Spring Concert

Yesterday we spent the day visiting with our friends at the
Western States Gospel Music Association' s annual Spring Concert.
It was a fun day (noon to 6pm) of listening to the west coast version of southern gospel style singing! There were about ten groups performing. Our family didn't sing at this ocassion, but it was good to see many of our singing friends. We helped with parking, door monitoring and other various odd jobs.
Here are only a few pictures of the day. I am only able to post five pictures at a time.

Herb Henry with Dennis Zimmerman of Singing News Magazine

Our Mikki with Bonnie Johnson of Johnson Family Quartet

Jerry Unfried of RSV, Revised Standard Version

Above and Below, Closing ceremony

Finale Choir conducted by emcee Dick Hilleary

GREAT JOB EVERYONE!! See you next year!

Ben

We didn't get a chance to post yesterday, May 31, because we were gone all day to the WSGMA Spring Concert. So, sorry Ben for not getting this out on time!

BEN turns 22!

Twenty-two years ago it was love at first sight as we were blessed with our firstborn son!!
And he continues to be a blessing to us each and every day!


May 31, 1986 Home-birthed in Oceanside, CA.

Benjamin means "son of the right hand" or "first born son"

Nicklaus means "ruler of the people" (leader)

Greer means "shepherd"

Words to describe Ben include :

our "right hand" man, loyal, productive, creative, technical, ingenius, fun-loving, adventurous, witty, responsible, Godly character, and a good friend.

Fun Facts about Ben!

1. From TJ- Ben likes WWII culture.

2. Ben likes ICE CREAM and COFFEE! And even coffee ice cream!

3. He "retired" at 16 from years of running our CNC machine.

4. He is really gifted in the area of technical details.

5. Ben currently sleeps on the bottom bunk!

6. He is a good swimmer and likes to surf.

7. He has been to China, Mexico and Nashville!

8. Ben tore out Grandpa's engine on his car AND put it back together again at age 9!

9. Ben sings tenor, lead and bass!

10. He doesn't like dressing up in a suit and tie!

Last but not least...

11. Ben is a FUN guy, but he's not a fungi!!! :)

We love you Ben!

May the Lord bless and keep you, make His face to shine upon you, and give you courage and strength to grow in His knowledge and grace this year.

The funny things they do

My "boys" are a constant source of entertainment for me! They keep me laughing with all of their crazy antics. Today's game of tennis became a new sport! I'm not quite sure what to call it.

Our family often will find some form of exercise that we all can do together- biking, hiking, surfing, to name a few. Lately we've been going to the local tennis courts. We often bring the dog, who loves to get in our way, and also fetches the tennis balls for us (when she feels like it!)!

Ben on his Landroller skates

Mitch and Lizzy take a break!

After our usual rounds, the guys start a version they created called "Speed Tennis". It's by far more active than the other rounds, and requires constant moving and switching places on the courts. (IF you want more "rules" you'll have to request them on your own!). Anyway, we played that for a while until we all got worn out.

TJ had double protection!

Ben and Mikki decided to don their roller skates and skate around the park, while I took the dog on a walk. Mitch and TJ continued to play tennis. Pretty soon we're all meandering around the courts again, when a new games starts up, only this time, it's not exactly tennis. With Ben still rolling around the tennis courts on his Landroller skates, TJ and Mitch start shooting him with the balls, and thus becomes something of a "Hit the moving target" game. Needless to say, the game caught on pretty well and everyone was laughing and running and trying to hit the balls while Ben bravely fought off his "attackers". Then Ben decided to get a racket and, while rolling, try to hit them back. We are really bad shots, fortunately and noone got hurt. But we sure did get worn out. Even Lizzy took a tired break!

Alas, a day in the life of the Greers here in sunny southern California!!

Colossians 3:23-24
"And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ."