Confessions of a Plant Killer :)

 So, my sweet husband gave me a wonderful Valentine's gift and card! After about 35 years of marriage he finally is starting to 'get' it. He went to a well known florist shop and picked up a plant. It was a beautiful philodendron type plant. At first I felt a little disappointed, not because I didn't appreciate the gift, mind you, but I am a known plant killer. Give me anything that is living in a pot and 98-99% of the time it will probably not live past one year, if even that. I am surprised that I have not been locked up for 'plant abuse' by the 'are you taking care of your plant police,' or at the least had them confiscated! The sad truth is, no matter how hard I try, I usually kill my unsuspecting plants by either drowning them, or forgetting to water them altogether until one day I (or more likely my sweet husband) end up noticing the drooping/brown leaves and dry soil.
                                                                  

Now, getting back to the plant my husband purchased for me for Valentine's Day. I carefully took off the wrapping, and then I touched the rocks on the top of the pot. They were like, glued on, you know? So,upon closer observation, the plant, to my surprise and glee, was made out of  silicone or resin, a very good quality I might add. This meant that he was finally beginning to accept me for me! The plant killer! For so long he had cajoled, scolded and encouraged me 'very' strongly to pay attention to the plants that were sobbing for water or drowning in mud (take your pick). For so long I had continued to, against my will, kill the poor things!
It was a thing of contention between us at times.  He also mentioned to me that the sales lady who sold him the plant said to him upon the purchase: Oh, so you're wife is like me, she kills plants! What a marvelous admission and a wonderful freeing thing to know that  I am not the only 'brown thumb' in a world full of 'green thumbed' people.  I no longer  have to hide my 'shame.' No longer will I need to sneak a dead or dying plant out of the house and into the garbage can. No longer will I have to make excuses why I didn't water or over watered a plant. No longer will I have to hang my head in shame when asked, what happened to that beautiful plant I gave you?  This was indeed a beautiful Valentine's Day! I married the most thoughtful and loving man in the world (and just think of ALL the real flowers/plants he saved from a slow and agonizing death). My husband is indeed my hero and always will be. I do have one itty bitty concern though, how often do I need to dust my wonderful plant? Hmmm....perhaps it would be better to just enjoy the moment...we'll tackle 'dust' another day. :) love, Karen

                Thank you honey for always loving me.
            

                     


      HAPPY VALENTINES DAY                           

FINDING PEACE

I know most of us need PEACE in these trying times and often fear comes knocking at the door. Today I made a video and it has been ministering to me the peace of the Lord. Sometimes we just need to stop and sit at His feet. This Scripture has always been a favorite of mine...when my soul was weary...when I thought I was going down...when I thought I would not be able to get up I ran to Jesus, the Prince of Peace. He is the Healer, the Deliverer, He will guide us into safe harbor...
 
 

PSALM 18

1 I love you, Lord, my strength.

2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield[b] and the horn[c] of my salvation, my stronghold.

3 I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
and I have been saved from my enemies.
4 The cords of death entangled me;
the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
5 The cords of the grave coiled around me;
the snares of death confronted me.

6 In my distress I called to the Lord;
I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came before him, into his ears.
7 The earth trembled and quaked,
and the foundations of the mountains shook;
they trembled because he was angry.
8 Smoke rose from his nostrils;
consuming fire came from his mouth,
burning coals blazed out of it.
9 He parted the heavens and came down;
dark clouds were under his feet.
10 He mounted the cherubim and flew;
he soared on the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him—
the dark rain clouds of the sky.
12 Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced,
with hailstones and bolts of lightning.
13 The Lord thundered from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.[d]
14 He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy,
with great bolts of lightning he routed them.
15 The valleys of the sea were exposed
and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke, Lord,
at the blast of breath from your nostrils.

16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.
17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me.
18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the Lord was my support.
19 He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.

20 The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord;
I am not guilty of turning from my God.
22 All his laws are before me;
I have not turned away from his decrees.
23 I have been blameless before him
and have kept myself from sin.
24 The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

25 To the faithful you show yourself faithful,
to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
26 to the pure you show yourself pure,
but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.
27 You save the humble
but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.
28 You, Lord, keep my lamp burning;
my God turns my darkness into light.
29 With your help I can advance against a troop[e];
with my God I can scale a wall.

30 As for God, his way is perfect:
The Lord’s word is flawless;
he shields all who take refuge in him.
31 For who is God besides the Lord?
And who is the Rock except our God?
32 It is God who arms me with strength
and keeps my way secure.
33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
he causes me to stand on the heights.
34 He trains my hands for battle;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You make your saving help my shield,
and your right hand sustains me;
your help has made me great.
36 You provide a broad path for my feet,
so that my ankles do not give way.

37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them;
I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
38 I crushed them so that they could not rise;
they fell beneath my feet.
39 You armed me with strength for battle;
you humbled my adversaries before me.
40 You made my enemies turn their backs in flight,
and I destroyed my foes.
41 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them—
to the Lord, but he did not answer.
42 I beat them as fine as windblown dust;
I trampled them[f] like mud in the streets.
43 You have delivered me from the attacks of the people;
you have made me the head of nations.
People I did not know now serve me,
44 foreigners cower before me;
as soon as they hear of me, they obey me.
45 They all lose heart;
they come trembling from their strongholds.

46 The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock!
Exalted be God my Savior!
47 He is the God who avenges me,
who subdues nations under me,
48 who saves me from my enemies.
You exalted me above my foes;
from a violent man you rescued me.
49 Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
I will sing the praises of your name.

50 He gives his king great victories;
he shows unfailing love to his anointed,
to David and to his descendants forever.