Long Day

We just got home and I'm beat, but I couldn't help but to reflect on the days highlights... I started this morning in my devotions, and then was convicted not to spend too much time on the computer and instead make much needed bread. To be honest, it's been awhile but once I start, it's like why have waited so long? I made enough dough to make 6 loaves, but I only have 4 pans, so while Olivia was helping me form the dough into loaves I came up with the idea to make cinnamon rolls. They turned out yummy, even if it meant they were whole wheat...

Before they went into the oven

After they came out of the oven and ready to eat

Oh and our cucumber plants are producing lots for us! Yesterday in the cool of the morning I went outside to harvest a few and look what I got! Shall I make pickles?

Oh, I forgot to add...the latest lesson the Lord has taught us through our watermelon. Well, yesterday when Ash came home some guy rode through our watermelon patch with his motorbike. You should have seen the boys including Ash, it was like a fire lit their pants and they ALL went running outside to find this guy that ran over our watermelon. Ash gave a few mean looks at the guy who was down the way. He came back into the house just all roweled up. I reminded him that it's just a watermelon and that it's not worth getting mad over. All the while the boys were outside getting ready to hammer nails into wood to place by our watermelon so that when the guy rides by again he would pop his tires. On a funny, but true note, I reminded him in a humorous way that "The Lord giveth us watermelon and the Lord taketh our watermelon away."After a few minutes Ash cooled down and immediately called out to the boys not to do that. All, I could think of is what it says in God's Word...Bless your enemies...love your neighbor as yourself.....God's love never fails to cover ALL sin :o) This morning after Cody was finished with his devotions, he came to me and shared what the Lord had taught him in John 15 and Nahum. He told me that the Lord was still teaching him something about the watermelon....that, just as He (the Lord) pruned our watermelon plants, He was using that picture to show us how He prunes our lives, our heart.... spiritually. He shows us physically what he does spiritually in our lives. We have been reading through the book of John this month and this morning we were supposed to read John15 together, but Cody was the only one who ended up reading it ( We had a late start and needed to be out of the house by 10:15) And here's what it says:

"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vine dresser. (the funny thing is that watermelon grows on a vine!) "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

"You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.

"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

"If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them out into the fire, and they are burned.

"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

"By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples."

John 15:1-8

God is so awesome, He is so faithful and He never keeps us in the dark. He never fails to speak to us even in the little things. I am so blessed that I serve such a wonderful God!