Cleaning Out the Potting Shed

     My potting shed was a disaster!  It was filled with junk from one end to the other.  There wasn't even a path to walk through to get to anything.  I felt like I was a candidate for the tv program Clean House.  Neicy Nash would have given me a scolding.
     My 18 month old grandson, Austin, looked in the door and said "Trash!"  Trash is his favorite word and he revels in looking at any book with trash in it.  He was mesmerized by what seemed like a dump load of a disgusting mess.
     I was desperate.  I bribed my 5 year old grandson, Aiden,  into helping me.  A special surprise and a whole dollar sealed the deal.  We carted out all the trash that littered every nook and cranny.  Even little Austin wanted to have a hand in it.  I paid him a whole quarter.
    We made a huge pile of all kinds of dried plant material.  The boys looked for treasures among the discards.  It was so bad it took me days to finally get it all cleared out.  When it was transformed from trash to holding only my best treasures I was all smiles.
      My wonderful husband was about to perform a special job for me (it was his own idea, too).  He had the good fortune to come across some free ceramic tiles and had promised me to tile the workbench in the potting shed.  The bare plywood was impossible to clean up and seemed to attract and hold every piece of dirt.  He spent the equivalent of whole day just to spruce up my potting shed.  What a dear!
    As I contemplated what a job this all had been, I thought about my relationship with Jesus Christ.  The potting shed reminded me of my heart.  At one time my heart had been dusty and dirty and a horrible mess.  Once I confessed my sin and asked Jesus to be my Savior, he came into my heart and cleaned it all up.  He came into every room of my life and cleaned every nook and corner.  He produced in me what I could never attain myself...a right relationship with God.  Just like my husband who loves me and helps me, Jesus is like a husband who comes along side of me and helps me with my loads and burdens.  He wants me to continue to depend on him for all my needs.  I am so thankful that I have this special relationship with Jesus Christ.  He has made me his own special treasure.

The newly tiled work bench in the potting shed.

    

The flowers are done blooming already.  This high heat coming so early and the high humidity was not favorable for garden plants.  But my little potting shed is wonderful place to contemplate my creations for the garden and for floral designs.

A trip to the Scottish Highlands

     My family background includes ancestors with Celtic origins.  Great grandfather was from the beautiful Emerald Isle and Great grandmother was from Scotland.  No one knows how they met so many years ago but it is sometimes fun to dream about.  I think about visiting those lands.  I would love to view some gardens over there.
    The closest I could come to visiting Scotland, so far, was in the dream world created by Jennifer Hudson Taylor in her new book "Highland Blessings".  Through her story, I could envision riding on horseback across the moores and wearing the plaid of my great grandmother's clan.
     This was an entertaining book that takes the reader into the days of yesteryear when clan fought against clan.  The author weaves into her story how God can work in every situation even in our human frailties.  If you go to her web site you can view the trailer for the book.  It was actually the trailer that drew me into a desire to enter that land of "Highland Blessings".  This book is published by Abingdon Press.