I Am From....

I am from Sunday School then pot roast for dinner and prayer meetings on Wednesday evenings. I am from I'll fly away oh glory and Oh how I love Jesus and Hold to God's unchanging hand. I am from lean not on thine own understanding but trust God.

I am from afternoons of Leave it to Beaver and Donna Reed and Father knows best. I am from walking across the room to change the television channel or be content with one of the three channels that is on. I am from Elton John and Beatle albums and Earth Wind and Fire and Carlos Santana eight track tapes.

I am from posters and black lights and french vanilla candles. I am from Ali McGraw and Ryan O'Neil, Love Story and 'love means never having to say you're sorry.' I am from mood rings and promise rings and his class ring dangling around my neck on a chain.

I am from save your babysitting money for that brown suede jacket with miles of fringe. I am from teachers monitoring if my dress is too short or my boyfriends hair is too long. I am from go back to your room and put on something 'decent.' I am from laborously ironing my long curly hair every morning so I can look like everyone else.

I am from crocheted blankets and handmade quilts, old black iron skillets and my granmothers Singer sewing machine. I am from try it on in the store then come home and create it. I am from why would you buy it when you know you can make it.

I am from if it's worth doing then it's worth doing right. I am from don't say anything if you can't say something nice. I am from you'll never understand until you have children of your own.

I'm from headaches and tears and sobs in the bathroom as I struggle to understand or be understood. I'm from smiles and laughter because I can and I am.

I am from church camp and friends I hold dear to this day. I am from friends who love the Lord and love me too. I am from the confusion that stems when the things that seem right go wrong and when friends who know God seem to turn Him away. I am from the baby boom age from Alexandria, Virginia. From the young couple who were told this pregnancy, too, will never make it. I am from the Grace and Mercy of God, who never gave up on me. I am from Him.

Andi, Sunshine and Daisies

For more years than I can count, I have had an almost insatiable love for gardening. So yesterday afternoon, before the predicted thundershowers arrived, Andi and I spent the afternoon planting the summer garden. Boy, did we plant! After removing the fall/winter pansies from the flower beds we planted vibrant gerber daisies, lush red geraniums, dozens of multi-colored zinnias and velvety red verbenia. We filled the herb garden with two types of basil, mexican marigolds, society garlic, lemon grass, rosemary, oregano, thyme, parsley and lemon balm. Using the 'lasagne method', a fantastic procedure for layering the mulch, soil and organic matter, I planted green beans, red and green bell peppers, squash, cucumbers, strawberries, eggplant, tomatoes and radishes.....finishing just minutes before the first drops of rain fell. What a wonderful finishing touch, pure 'organic' water, minus the chlorine and chemicals, to settle the plants in to their cozy beds.