I planned to write a short, cozy garden mystery for NaNoWriMo. Dutifully, as a plantser (hybrid planner and pantser), I began jotting down notes for possible clues and motives and searching Pinterest to create my annual NaNo board to spur me onward to my goal.
I felt good about my progress when a financial shift occurred out of the blue. We discovered our monthly income was not what we’d received in previous months. The only solution was for me to monetize my writing better.
That meant more writing of what would bring in a return the fastest. As I saw it, I had three options.
1. I could carry on writing my mystery story and hope for a fantastic book launch with considerable sales in three months (experience said, “not likely.”)
2. I could write several ebooks for my Etsy shop with more chances of earlier success.
3. I could write more on Medium and hope I’ve got the algorithm right this month.
Hmmm.
Daunted and confused, I turned to prayer. (I should have started there. Hey, that could be another poem!) It became more apparent that I had not one choice of three options but three options to achieve the same goal collectively.
NaNoWriMo Woes
I had an idea this time to write a mysterious crime with murderous beast five suspects at least and victim appearing deceased.
But life took a turn to the side and all of my notes I did hide. Instead, I did flop facing my laptop and outlined new books for my shop.
Then joy filled each thought as I prayed like I ought and I saw that I could do both. With November’s troth I wrote down a personal oath.
And now Nano’s here and I have no fear. I can write a cozy plus two Etsy ebooks for you. That’s three books in all brand new!
Miniscule rainbows shimmering like prisms on white. I hesitate to step to crumple the wonderment The Creator blessed me with.
If I did not feel so inundated with less ethereal tasks I’d sit and soak in the majestic sight as a child until the sun hides Its rays behind the pines and I would thank Him for everyday blessings.
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Psalm 19:1a, NIV
His creation reflects God’s glory. It calls us into praise and worship of our Heavenly Father every day–if we’re not too busy to see it.
‘Til next time, remember you are loved by the One who created you in His image.
“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?”
(Psalm 8:3–4, NIV)
The Hebrews were enslaved in Egypt when Moses said God heard their cries. Toiling in the hot desert, they were skeptical. But God did as He said.
In the Servant Songs, Isaiah chapters 42–43, God again hears the people and gives them hope that He will send a Deliverer.
What do we mean to God?
We mean more to Him than we can possibly imagine!
God sent His son to show us, and He pursues us still.
The nations have fallen into the pit they dug for others. Their own feet have been caught in the trap they set. The Lord is known for justice. The wicked are trapped by their own deeds.
(Psalm 9:15-16. NLT)
Things are getting expensive, aren’t they? I’ve found that I have to go without some things I used to buy at the grocery store—the little treats or the specialty items that are not necessary for survival but things I wanted.
I often feel that life is unfair when I have to pass them by. Like a child, I think, “I’ve been a good girl. I deserve this.”
Reflecting on where this selfish way of thinking comes from, I realize I’m not thinking as a child of God at that moment but as someone who’s fallen into a commercial trap. What sparked those selfish thoughts?
A new lifestyle
When my husband retired, he had a good pension from working for the same company. We weren’t rich, but we had what we needed with some to spare for simple pleasures like a day trip, a celebratory dinner in a nice restaurant, or a donation to a worthy cause.
Now, we find that monthly income doesn’t stretch as far, and we must be careful of extraneous spending. But I need to keep in mind that I still have riches.
As my grandad said in his later years–
“We don’t have much, but we have more than most.”
He and my grandma were living on government assistance at the time. But he didn’t compare his life to those around him who had bigger houses and fancy cars and vacationed in Majorca. He saw the people on the news who were displaced by war or homeless because of natural disasters.
He had the love of his family, a roof over his head and fish and chips every Friday. He considered himself rich in blessings. And always found a few pennies to treat his grandkids to a bag of sweeties.
Now it’s my turn
Will I be remembered as an older woman who groaned about not having money for fancy restaurants and two cars in the garage, or will I be the one who sets an example to my grandkids that it’s ok not to have all the things the television and social media tells us we should have?
Will I fall into the trap I’ve allowed around me or follow my grandad’s example and the God he trusted in for all his needs?
Lord, help me to choose the best—the path you have for me and your provisions to help me walk it well and not stumble.
Til next time–remember you are loved by the One who created you in His image.
Four years ago, I broke my dominant arm in two places and shattered my shoulder. Helpless in many ways, I lost my independence, was unsteady on my feet, and could barely type with my other hand.
I had to learn to live with my new limitations and be patient with my body as it healed. But God is forever present and faithful in our trials. He walked with me through it all.
Today, I’m finishing edits on a novel I wrote during that time.
I simply had to wait out the storm.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 (NIV)
~ Lynne
*this devotional was initially published in Koinonia, a Medium online publication.
I learned this today if it quacks like a duck it may just be a Wood Frog
I was intrigued by a new sound coming from the pond. It wasn’t the usual chorus of mating Peeper frogs ensuring the survival of their species. That was always a welcome sound in late March at the shire because it meant spring was surely arriving soon.
This was a more robust sound, like many ducks debating in the House of Commons. Loud opinions and louder rebuttals in a constant vie to be heard.
After searching Google for an hour or so, I found the name of our very vocal lodgers. Who would have thought a frog could quack like a duck?
What if all that God requires of me is the simplest thing as I wake in the morning before I do any other thing before I make any other decision about what to eat or what to wear before I speak or comb my hair before I sit at my desk what if I simply ask “What do You have for me today?” and listen to what He has to say?
Just one simple thing
What if it’s that simple? I mean, really that simple? Have we been overcomplicating this trust in God thing?
Have we wasted so much time reading the perfect study books and taking the ideal writing courses? Maybe attending the excellent workshops or listening to the ones we think have the perfect biblical answers?
I was busy doing all of those things and getting nowhere until I remembered that God had the answers to all my questions. He knew me better and more intimately than anyone else.
Better than anyone who I thought knew what was best for me. He knew my struggles and how I could overcome the fogginess in my mind and aching in my heart. And who knows social media marketing algorithms better?
“It’s acceptable. It’s been normalized. It’s expected. But that doesn’t make it right.”
I wanted to serve Him, but I’d forgotten to ask what He wanted me to do!
His burden is light
Now I make sure I choose to ask God every morning before I do anything else. I thank Him for the new day and the opportunity to serve Him as His daughter.
I wait for Him to speak to me and ask what He wants me to learn that day. Then I choose one devotional book and follow the writer’s prompts to read further in Scripture.
“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:29–30, NIV)
I usually get a prompt to think about something throughout the day. Sometimes I get an idea for a short memoir or a few lines for a poem! Sometimes I’m led to talk with a friend or maybe pray for someone that suddenly comes to mind out of the blue.
All other things stand firm in their rightful position for the day if that one foundation is laid first. Even if I’m not prompted to do anything, I know I’m still in His will because I did the simplest thing first — I asked.
So, as I go about my day, I occasionally pause and listen, content to wait for His answer.
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33–34 NIV)
*This post was initially published by Lynne on Medium in the publication Koinonia on April 29, 2022
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The first thing to do in spring — take down the Christmas lights!
Lynne
The second thing I do is the annual walkabout to see what we have to deal with as far as cleanup.
The January and February snowstorms leave a mass of broken branches and debris everywhere here in southern Ontario. And cleaning it up can take several weeks.
After removing all the decorations from the past Christmas, my husband and son pick up the heavy branches and tree limbs that have fallen. I follow them, picking up the smaller branches and pruning dead ones.
The Walkabout
After the fallen branches have all been moved to the landfill, I finally take stock of the landscape. I walk around the planted gardens, woodland and riverbank with my camera and notebook, taking photos of things to change.
I note any large items I need for interesting focal points and relocate anything out of place before planting my new perennials. I try not to use too many annuals unless I run out of perennials to split. This cuts down on cost, and perennials tend to mound, cutting down on weeds too. Although I do have some favourite annuals I like to use in containers on my deck.
Then, I sit with a cup of tea by the river and write my notes. Sometimes, when a large area needs a different design, I also need graph paper to make sure I get the dimensions correct. I learned soon after digging the first gardens to be aware of where I need new plants and how tall and wide they’ll grow. So many times, in the beginning, I had to relocate something because it was in the wrong light or overshadowed smaller plants.
Writing notes also helps me decide if I need to change things with a view to my garden’s foundational aspects, such as trees, statuaries and bushes. I generally do this in the fall but sometimes things grow unexpectedly or a storm demands changes in the spring too.
The Lenten Rose
I’m always overjoyed to see my Lenten Rose survive the extremely long winter months. The leaves, a mound of green under the melting snow, bring such hope when they begin to show their colours. Before the ground thaws, these magnificent blooms reach out through the frozen mulch from the previous year to greet us with the promise of a new spring.
Its recorded history dates back centuries when it was used as a medicinal plant. It became known by the common name Lenten Rose because it blooms during the season of Lent. It’s a favourite of many traditional Victorian gardens and ideal for the climate of my zone 4 shade garden.
photo by Lynne Collier
Lily-of-the-Valley
Every year we have an invasion of those plants we love but can’t control. For example, we’re currently battling a sea of Bugleweed in the clearing. Soon, the plant I really hate to love — Lily-of-the-Valley — will be sprouting everywhere in the woodland. In spring, the clusters are so beautiful when the shaded woodland is primarily dormant. Still, the plant can be invasive if I don’t want it to spread to other locations.
Lily-0f-the-Valley is also known as Mary’s Tears due to its blooming time around the Christian Easter event of the crucifixion of Jesus, when his mother, Mary, wept at His feet.
The Lily-of-the-Valley produces strands of small, bell-shaped flowers on top of a single stem above the leaves. The flowers are incredibly fragrant and are used in perfumes and potpourri. It spreads prolifically by rhizomes and grows in the shade where the ground is moist. We find it in large groupings throughout our woodland and the river banks, where the soil seldom wholly dries out, even in the hot summer months.
Though beautiful and fragrant, this plant is extremely poisonous! I always wear gloves when I’m handling it.
One way to rein in the offending invaders is to put them in pots. First, I bury the pot in the garden with the rim flush with the soil surface. Next, I make sure the pot has holes in the bottom for drainage. This holds back plants that multiply by tubers or spreading roots. If the pot becomes crowded, I divide them in spring or move them to a bigger pot. These plants are great as fast-growing groundcovers but will overtake an area quickly if not kept in check.
Two more of my favourite groundcovers are the English Bluebell and the Forget-Me-Not, which bloom here in early May. I split these after they flower and fill in bare patches at the woodland edge every year. They self-seed and are very hardy.
I’m happy to see they’ve usually doubled in number the following year. I grouped the plant here in a shade garden with Bleeding Heart, Solomon’s Seal, Hosta and Fern. I also leave dandelion in spring for the migrating butterflies.
photo by Lynne Collier
Here’s a Tip for Next Spring
After the spring plants have finished blooming, I dig up the spent bulbs and plant them directly in the garden using the layering method. Or I plant them in a pot in the ground to over-winter the bulbs. In spring, I take the pots out of the ground as soon as the ground thaws and water them thoroughly. They also make excellent inserts, and I love to display them in decorative containers on my deck.
I also like to leave some pots in the garden after the blooms are spent. This gives me a continuous show of colour next spring, and I find the bulbs will multiply to expand my collection or share with friends.
Spring bulbs are also easy to grow indoors at the end of winter and make wonderful Mothers Day and Easter gifts.
Two ideas for spring bulbs to give as gifts or adorn your own home
1. An easy gift to make; choose a glass or clear plastic container, fill the bottom with pebbles or small rocks or similar material, place the bulbs on top of the stones with the roots down, and water thoroughly. Keep the bulbs covered with water, and a beautiful display will bloom. It makes a stunning centrepiece and the bulbs can be planted outdoors, ready for next year.
Daffodils and Narcissus are beautiful in a vase for spring, as are Tulips and Hyacinth. I love to watch the roots spread in the water.
2. Layering; place approximately 2″ of potting soil in a large pot, layer your bulbs starting with the ones needing to be planted deepest, add 1″ of soil on top of them, then your medium-sized bulbs on top of those being careful not to place them directly above the first bulbs, put another 1″ of soil covering those, then your smallest bulbs above them, cover the top layer of bulbs with 2–3″ of soil to the rim of the pot, pack down lightly and water thoroughly.
I like to use crocus, tulips and daffodil for this layering technique.
’Til next time — I hope you’re enjoying the much-anticipated warmer weather if you’re in spring where you are. But, if you’re in winter — I feel for you!
~Lynne
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