Fingerprint Friday: Gardens

By Ginny (MAD21)

If you have been around me much for the last month, you know how hard I've been working on our flowerbeds and yard. I wasn't able to do a whole lot last year because of all the excavations being done to our property, so it was long overdue for some major work. Several of the bushes I planted after the excavations were finished last fall had died, too, only adding to the workload. Fortunately the store agreed to replace them, but that still means I have more work.

Honestly, I have thoroughly enjoyed all the hard work. I've never been much of a gardener, but I've learned a lot over the years. It's more fun than I thought it would be (aside from the weeds, and bugs!!). Several years ago, I planted two varieties of Lilies. When I bought them they were really cheap, really small, and several of them didn't grow back in the second year. But in the years since they have totally taken hold and have not only come back each season, they are multiplying like crazy and are just beautiful.

The Lilies I planted in the front bed that started out as just a few plants, have multiplied enough I have been able to plant them all around the flowerbed. The picture on the top right is the plant I am most excited about.... it has 16, yes SIXTEEN flowers on ONE stem. I have never seen that happen. The one on the bottom right is one of the plants that didn't come back the second year. I think it's safe to say it's doing great now! There is a life-lesson in there somewhere, I'm sure. It's amazing how something so weak and small can, after lots of love and attention, end up so beautiful and fruitful.

Everything is actually just about finished. I have one more round of weeding to do (can anyone tell me why God created those?!); as soon as our replacement bushes have arrived I will get them in the ground; and we are putting the mulch down on Saturday. I don't think I've ever been happier with how everything looks around our house. It only took 11 years!

Many years of hard work in the yard have taught me several things. One thing is that no matter how much we work at something, like growing grass from seed, or planting bushes and flowers, we can't force life into something. God wants us to work, we have a role in this world, but we always need to remember that He is the one who gives things life. He is the only one who can give life. It's one of his fingerprints, and one I am very, very thankful for.

Fellow blogger Beki at The Rusted Chain has a really great weekly post she does every Friday called "Fingerprint Friday." We are to look around and see where we can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Anywhere? Go find out where Beki saw God this week, and be sure to check out the other bloggers who linked their stories as well.

Every Day Life: A Teller's Life

By Beth M

This month I am in the drive through at the bank where I work. I like it back there, gets me away from all the lobby nonsense. It's cash in and cash out, nothing more. I don't have to answer the phone or sell gift cards or cashier's checks or deal with the 'special' customers we all love so much. I'm back there, by myself and I can read and listen to my own music and I have a huge picture window in front of me which offers quite a view of the parking lot and surrounding areas. All of the things mentioned in my post this week are things that have actually been seen by the drive through teller, most of them by me. And these are just the tip of the iceberg, but there are some things I just can't put in print.

I'm sitting in the drive through and oh the sights I see!

      A half naked man in a beat up car
      A mom who just came from a bar
      Three screaming kids who want some sweets
      Dogs barking and whining for their treats
      Skaters keying an officer's cruiser
      A wimpy little car with the license plate BRUZR
      Some redneck idiot in a giant wheeled truck
      Driving over piles of snow and getting stuck
      A fist fight breaking out over a parking spot
      Couple of thugs meeting to swap money for pot
      Four enormous people in a tiny blue car
      Some amorous teens who may go too far
      I sit at my window and shake my head
      Wondering how they have the brains to get out of bed.

I'll spend one month in the drive through, and you wouldn't believe the sights I'll see!

Beth is a gorgeous, size 6 blonde married happily these 20 years to Sean Bean, dreamy British actor. Their perfect children attend a boarding school in Scotland that they take the scarlet train out of King's Cross Station to each term. In her spare time, Beth likes to perform interpretive dance in local parks and raise awareness for S.P.E.W. Sean and Beth also own a German Shepherd named Chauncy who likes to nap. Beth M. and Lara were the brains behind our fun series on the Year of the Birthday. We are thankful they have decided to continue the fun with the Bucket List and Every Day Life.

Leaving It At The Door

By MAD21

A friend of mine was telling me today about how his wife was complaining about how much he talked about work (and for the record, he agreed it needed to stop). You know know what I mean. All the conversations we have when we get home from work. Like needing to unload all of the day's events out of our brains before we explode. We spend all day trying to be politically correct and professional while working around other people (or not), that when we are in the safety of our own home with the people we love, we just let it all out like taking the knot out of a balloon.

Mind you, it's not all bad that we share our day's events with our families. I, for one, like very much to hear about the events of each family member's day. But like everything in life, there is such thing as too much of a good thing. We all need to be careful that it doesn't go too far.

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