Remember how I mentioned the back corner of our yard that I am hoping will be the home of a hammock before long? I’ve been clearing it out for a few days now and truth be told, I’ve been really enjoying it. Being outside, breathing fresh air, working with my body, thinking my thoughts without interruption (maybe this is the main thing?), etc. Really good times, I tell you! Well, the main task in that area is clearing out brush and millions of vines. I didn’t actually see any poison ivy, but the evidence is all over my arms.

So, our family theme has been eucharisteo for a few years now. And I finally started my own official gratitude journal earlier this year. I have been grateful for Everett’s stroke and resulting brain damage, grateful for struggles as a mother (everything from lack of contentment to dealing with whining kids and obnoxious toys), and lots of everyday things like baby smiles and snuggles, seeing a bird preening outside our front door, the privilege of working together with God to grow plants . . . Well, now, I have a new challenge – Poison Ivy. Of course, it is not easy to be grateful for the pus-filled blisters that hurt because the skin is stretched so tight, the really really really itchy redness, and the fact that the rash keeps spreading every day (for the last four days) so I have no idea how bad it will be before it eventually stops. But, it hit me this morning, that this can be my version of fasting. You see, I have been pregnant or nursing for pretty much that last seven years, so fasting from food just wasn’t a good idea for health reasons. And, while I have been grateful for both the pregnancies and also the nursing babes, I have been a little sad to not be able to fast. So now, this outbreak of poison ivy can be like fasting. Instead of hunger signaling me to pray, I have the pain of the rash. So, every time I feel discomfort, either pain or itching, it will be a reminder to pray and thank the Lord for the reminder =) And thank the Lord for loving me so much that He would die a miserable death and suffer separation from His Father just so that I could be saved from my miserable sin and abide in Him.

This morning, as I was reading John 15, my happy place for the past few weeks as I meditate on Spiritual fruit and abiding, I was struck by verse 2. I understand a branch getting cut out if you bear no fruit, but I didn’t really understand why you would get cut out (pruned) if you do bear fruit. Then I saw how later in the chapter the terms “more fruit” and “much fruit” are used. So, I saw how fruit, more fruit, and much fruit are levels of fruit productivity. So, the Father will prune us (the branch) even when we are abiding in the vine (Jesus) and bearing fruit (of the Spirit see Galatians 5:22-23) so that we will then be able to produce more fruit and eventually much fruit.

I won’t show you any pictures of the back yard in case there is any possibility of the poison ivy jumping through your screen. That would be too mean. This is of the East side of our front yard, with the driveway on the right. The hose is marking the herb spiral. I had to modify it a bit because of the way our yard slopes down to the west (our whole lot is on a pretty steep slope).

And these containers will be for the many annual veggies I will plant either this week or after the last frost date (I am going with May 7th): tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, peas, beets, and a whole slew of herbs and flowers.

And the bean teepee and squash (around the outside) are going by the mailbox on the West side of the driveway.