"And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19 (NIV 1984)

  I subscribe to a daily devotional that provides gentle reminders to think about what really matters in this life and the next.  This particular passage showed up a few days ago.
  Sometimes when I look out the window and see pictures like this surrounding our farm, I wonder what God had in mind for me.  What am I learning, what essential part of my person is he trying to improve? What need is he meeting?
  With day after day after day of rain, I'm thinking it might be along the lines of ceding control.  In the spring I meticulously map out the garden including time tables of what gets started when and then when it's supposed to be transplanted outside.  Of course, I've been gardening long enough to know those are targets and many variables will slightly change my plans.
  This year my plans are kaput.  The high tunnel has flooded twice. The outside garden has gullies in it; and for those of you who know how flat our land is, that's really saying something about the volume of water that has moved over our ground.  The chickens were getting soaked daily and using up their energy to stay warm instead of gain weight, so they had to move in with the laying hens.
  I'm doing everything I can within my power to care for the plants and animals we have; the rest, I just have to let go.  Worry and stress never helped a plant grow or a chicken get fatter.  Perhaps I can focus on lessons in how late I can get my garden to grow this fall. 
  The devotional author closed with this prayer:
  Dear Lord, help me to realize and remember the secret to being content in all circumstances is You. Help me to be aware of Your presence in my life at all times. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
  And Amen to that.

  Our family continues to work on improving our eating habits.  With so much fresh produce and home-raised meats, you would think we would never go astray.  But, of course, we're subject to the same natural food cravings:  sugar, salt, fat that all people experience.
  Bee Bags are designed to help people eat better through quick preparation of fresh ingredients.  Menu ideas come from various magazines subscriptions.  We test them as a family; some are winners, some are, well, not so good.  Only the winners make it on the final list.
  This week's new offering is Burgers & Fries.  What I love about this menu is its flexibility and flavors.  Burgers in a slider size are quick to cook and can accommodate different appetites.  My daughter (age 7) and I are satisfied with one burger, and my husband can enjoy three without busting the calorie budget.  It's also great to have something familiar on the list.  Burgers are a summertime favorite, and with a few flavor punches (and baking the fries), you can really enjoy this classic without feeling guilty about excess calories and fat.
  Check out the complete line-up of Bee Bag choices at http://www.myorganicneighborhood.com/menu-selections.html!

  Three days without rain; that's all it took.  While we are thankful the drought has been relieved, we've been watching the skies waiting for a break in the rain.  Friday, Saturday, then Sunday - then it was off to the races!
  Tilling, marking rows, planting seeds.  It was a whirlwind two days.  While I'd like to say I got it all in, I didn't; but I did make a huge dent.
  It's raining again today.  Not too hard, though.  I may slip out and finish up that row of Blue Lake and Royal Burgundy beans.