How Does Your Garden Grow?

Mary, Mary, quite contrary,

How does your garden grow?

With silver bells, and cockle shells,

And pretty maids all in a row.

 

This nursery rhyme always intrigued me. Growing up I would fantasize about little pixie fairies living in my garden of wild flowers. I would say this verse to them and pretend they would all come out to see me. I was a very imaginative child!

Later, as an adult, I would have a real garden. I’m sure this will sound odd but I loved weeding my garden. I could sit and weed for hours if time allowed. It was refreshing, something I could put all my mind into and even though it was hard work it was important and rewarding knowing I’d helped it grow. And there were so many good things that came from my garden!

I didn’t have a lot of time to weed but I would make the most of what time I did have knowing every moment was precious and important. I needed and thrived on giving it my all. In return the garden gave us back what we needed and thrived on.

Keeping my grandchildren is like weeding my garden. I love keeping them! It’s refreshing, something I can put all my mind into and even though it’s hard work it is important and rewarding knowing I’ve helped them grow. I try to make the most of every moment because their precious and important to me. I need and thrive on giving them my all when I can and I know they need and thrive on me and all their family.

Like my garden, my grandchildren will grow and blossom into everything God meant them to be. Knowing I’ve shared in this is everything God meant me to be. We may need to grow gardens for food that is good for us but our lives thrive on growing our children and theirs and on and on. This is God’s will and command!

! AND WE HAVE ONE MORE ON THE WAY !

And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates (Deuteronomy 6:6-9 ESV).

These words are good and true for us. So I ask you again, how does your garden grow?

 

Grown from the garden, more goodness for you…

 

Barbecued Green Beans

4 slices bacon, diced

1 medium onion, chopped

1 pound whole green beans

1 (10 ½ oz.) can tomato soup, undiluted

2 tbsp. brown sugar

2 tbsp. barbecue sauce

Fry bacon in skillet. Add chopped onion and cook until golden. Add remaining ingredients. Mix thoroughly and pour into a greased 1 ½ quart casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until green beans soften and heated through. Serves 6.

 

Baked Asparagus (Good!)

In cast iron skillet melt ½ stick butter till hot. Add about 1 pound trimmed asparagus. Cover almost completely with Kraft Italian blend parmesan (or any parmesan cheese). Bake 30 minutes at 400 degrees. About last 5-10 minutes turn on broiler to brown.

For lighter version:

In cast iron skillet slightly brown about 1 pound trimmed asparagus in ½ – 1 teaspoon olive oil. Cover slightly with low fat parmesan cheese and Molly McButter. Bake 30 minutes at 400 degrees until softened. Already brown so no need for broiler.

 

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! (Psalm 34:8).