Who am I & who I am 

What a challenging month this month of  September has been!

But, as someone has said, "Don't you worry darlin', we have pie." So yes, there are compensations & September offers one of the best comfort foods there is.

equals:

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It was a very dry winter & also a very dry summer & the 

was seemingly incessant day & night & EXTREMELY blustery! 

Also the heat was relentless day after day which I haven't seen in South Dakota in the forty-five years we've lived here. Though I watered my flowers sometimes twice a day, some of the foliage was burned to a crisp. Gardens suffered & the produce has been much less in our local farmer's markets. The peaches that we usually get have been very dry & the pears were non-existent so there was no canning this year which was a great disappoint. The thirsty land looked gold & tannish brown & ponds for livestock went dry. Miraculously, through much prayer, there have not been that many fires because the land & trees are a tinder box. However, we did have a fire on the mountain across from where we live in which we had to evacuate our home. Again, much prayer averted it's path & winds came to a standstill at times. Slurry bombers came & dropped their fire-retarding chemicals enabling fire rescue to do their jobs. However, for several days there were outcroppings of hot spots of flames & smoke, but the firemen came out & babysat these areas constantly. Finally, the long-awaited thirst quenching rains came & not only put out the fires for good, it caused vegetation to flourish again. The grass is such a lustrous green & soft enough to go bare-footed. It also ushered in some wonderfully cool weather & even the boisterous winds have been still & the last days of this month have been serene & restful. So, we said goodbye to the long, hot & challenging Summer of 2026 & 'Welcome' to the first  day of Autumn, both in September. 

& because of so many changes that have come into my life in these past  months, there's another 'face' to add to the multi-faceted "Who am I" that I am right now, which  are the following,

A Grandmother. (One of my favorites!)
The above picture is a long ago picture of two of my grandsons, brothers. This is one of my defined 'who I am'.

This also defines me. A cook, baker, meal maker! A lot of good things happen in this domain!! Oven lovin'!

Two ( The youngest of seven. Also many years ago...) of my children that define me as  'Mom'. (Also a 'Mom to a plethora of various kinds of animals over 45 years!)

I am also a follower of Jesus, daughter, sister, aunt, granddaughter, niece, & friend. Those are the noun identities. Now come the descriptive & action identities. I am a homemaker ( that has its' own magnitude of 'direct objects'!) , a minister of music, seamstress, party planner (& giver), decorator, gardener, & writer.  These are all in the here & now.

Now to add to my repertoire of 'Who am I's' & 'Who I am's' is 'Who I am becoming'. Although I have known & even memorized the following scriptures of the Bible, it doesn't follow that I have always been a good student or steward of practicing them in my everyday life. But because of a recent & very personal loss in my life, I asked the Lord how I was supposed to respond to it. It was very grieving & hard. This is what He immediately brought to my mind.

"I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ lives in me. & the life that I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me & gave Himself for me."  

Galatians 2:20 

So, the Lord is calling me to a new step up level of  the "Who I am" to be lived as a daily lifestyle.

"If you then be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sits on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things of the earth for you are dead & your live is hidden with Christ in God." 

Colossians 3: 1-3

So, the two new "Who I am's" is, I am crucified with Christ & I am risen with Christ. I know that this will definitely take grace & help of the Holy Spirit to incorporate into my brain & heart thus transforming my life. Knowing & memorizing these truths is not enough. They have to be obeyed. But Jesus said that His commandments were not burdensome to keep when we love Him. So the more we love Him, the more we want to do those things that are pleasing in His sight. & the more of His identity or 'Who He is' will be realized into 'Who I am'. I love that.

"For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh."

2 Corinthians 4:11

& with Jesus help, that is the "Who am I" I am becoming. 

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Raintree Perk of the Day:

"I am ( one of those easy 'Who I am's!) my Beloveds..."

Song of Solomon 2:16

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Blooming where I'm planted

This is a "Peach Passion Sunflower". It made its' debut where the concrete  & some rocks meet by our front porch. I hadn't even noticed it until it was in full bloom! "Hey, down here. Look at me. I came by special delivery via a transient bird by the Lord's direction to bless you because He loves you & wanted to make you smile." This happy little flower took the above title to it's little flower heart. I have many different kinds of flowers that I have purchased this summer that are beautiful & colorful.

 

(Just to say here that this is a miracle rose. Every year my husband weed-eats this flush to the ground.😬 It always rallies &  gives me at least one sweet little rose. 🌹😊)

(Notice little hedgehog peeking out. 🦔)

&  so many more that have their story to tell.

But the different friends & family who have come over, stopped by to visit or make an impromptu call, have never commented on those flowers or even really noticed them. Except for this one, lone, sweet little flower that pushed it's way out of a crack  that seemed to appear all of a sudden to bring a smile, even joy to the eye of the beholder. Why? I think because it's talking. It's speaking in its' little flower-ese to whoever notices it & listens to the message, even different messages, to the ear of the beholder. Maybe the message of tenacity.

"If I can get through this hard place so can you."

or the message of endurance.

"Don't quit, don't give up you're gonna make it!"

the message of wonder.

"I don't know how I got here either, but it doesn't matter. I still produced a flower!"

the message of hope.

"Can you believe this? Here I am, actually growing & producing life through a crack in concrete!"

So many messages that I'm sure right now you hear one for yourself.

For me, the message is "Bloom where you are planted".

I have to say that I did not choose to be where I am now, not where I live, not the different body & age challenges, not the different relationship challenges, not the loss, not the heartache, not the crushing disappointments, not the frustration of prayers spoken long ago still unanswered, not the 'hope deferred's. But you know what? I can still let my light shine before men that they would see my good works & glorify my Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:16) I can still be contented. & "godliness with contentment is great gain." (1 Timothy 6:6)  A little aside here that the Lord recently told me, is that the reason for any discontent in my heart is due to disobedience in my life. He has set boundaries for me to keep me safe & in order to have the provision of abundant life. When I choose to cross those boundaries to indulge in the fruit of the forbidden curiosity plucked from The Tree of the Knowledge of Good & Evil, there is much to lose, including the very precious life of contentment.  Obedience is a choice. Staying inside the boundaries the Lord has set for me is a choice. Being contented is a choice. It is actually saying to Him, "Jesus, You choose." & if at this time in my life He chooses for me to be stationary, which means, "not moving, fixed, staying in one place", like in a crack in the ground, I can stretch my root legs, & go down deeper, deeper, to get to the rich Soil & Water to draw my life from & also access the Nutrient to course back up through my root legs & VOILA!

or even better...

never ending blooms to share, to inspire, to encourage. So if I am a seed blowing in the wind of the Holy Spirit to new destinations & horizons, or purposely sown between "a rock & a hard place", then I will bloom where I am planted.   & here, I will produce, thirty, sixty & even a hundred fold. The Master Gardener will see to it. & when you pluck my flowers, the essence will be His essence, because, by His grace, I am blooming where I am planted. & that makes for a heavenly bouquet.

Raintree Perk of the Day:

My Father has a garden

where people often come,

to see the lovely flowers there

I'm happy I am one.

My Father has a garden

each blossom sweet & rare.

He hovers ever gently

Such tender loving care.

My Father has a garden

He plants each special seed.

& I'm so glad He made just one,

the flower that is me.

My Father has a garden

& that is where I'll be,

blooming where I'm planted

for everyone  to see! 🌻

" God Bless America🎵..."

I love traditions & celebrations! & next to Christmas, which gave us Jesus, & Easter, which gave us the Way to have eternal life, I believe the celebration of Independence Day which celebrates the birth of America is the best! "My Country tis of thee...🎵" "This is MY country, land that I love...😃🎵"  (That's the closest I could get to a singing emoji! 😄)

See the little Statue of Liberty on the trucks running board? Isn't she the cutest?

YES!

★💖★💖★

★💖★💖★

I love all of the hoopla, the parades, the traditional games, picnics, barbecues, all of the traditional foods.

But as you all know,  my absolute most favorite, the grand finale Magnum Opus....!!!

& since it was our 250th anniversary, our country neighborhood skies were a masterpiece, tour de force, piece de resistance, (prized feature, main event!) of riotous explosions of color & beauty!!

"& the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air..."

& yet at the time this was written by Francis Scott Key, they were not fireworks, but literal bombs bursting in air! & it was during the War of 1812 between Great Britain & the United States. (again!) On September 13, 1814, Key, & a U.S. official , rowed over to a British warship to seek the release of some American prisoners but because of the things these men had seen on that ship, the British could not let the men leave & report on what they had seen. So Mr. Key & the others got a front row seat for these fireworks in the lengthy night bombardment of the British  against Fort McEnery in Baltimore, Maryland which was eight miles away. As day began to dawn, I can see Mr. Key squinting through the dust & smoke I imagine with the first stanza of our National Anthem beginning to take shape in his mind which actually ends with a question.

"Oh say does that star-spangled banner yet wave

o'er the land of the free, & the home of the brave?"

So, I will let Francis Scott Key answer that question in his own words, from his front rowboat position that he was seated in on that long ago smoky dawn of 1814. 

"On the shore dimly seen, through the mists of the deep

where the foes haughty host in dread silence reposes,

what is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,

as it fitfully blows, half conceals. half discloses?

Now it catches the gleam, of the mornings first beam,

in full glory reflected now shines in the stream,

Tis the star spangled banner, O long may it wave,

O'er the land of the free, & the home of the brave!"

Can you imagine the excitement! the exclamations of cheer!  of the inhabitants of that little rowboat? & yes some tears of joy,  & humble prayers of deep gratitude that indeed that banner was still waving.

There is a third verse too. I will let you look that up on your own, but I wanted to include this last verse because it is the inspiring exclamation point of that poem & our National Anthem.

"Oh thus be it even when freemen shall stand

between their loved home & the war's desolation!

Blest with victory & peace, may the heav'n rescued land 

praise the Power that hath made & preserved us a nation!

Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just 

And this be our motto - "In God is our trust,"

And the Star Spangled Banner in triumph shall wave,

O'er the land of the free & the home of the brave." 

There is so much dishonor for our country these days from its' own citizens. I am so ashamed for them as they are influenced by the delusionary voices of lies & deception that do not love our & their country. Because "love suffers long & is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails." Of course this is from the Bible & some would say that I'm taking this out of context. But I don't think so. Because America began with a covenant, just as marriage does. A covenant between God & America that began on the shores of Cape Henry, Virginia with Pastor Robert Hunt. I think there are a lot of people, especially thirty years old on down, that have not been taught the true history of the birth of our nation. ( I highly recommend the writings & books of David & Tim Barton concerning the history of America, "The Wallbuilders". Excellent!!) But it is our responsibility as parents, grandparents, Americans, patriots & Christians to teach & live out our American heritage. & it may be at a cost as with the Black Robed Regiment. & our patriotic forefathers (& foremothers too!) who pledged "...our Lives, our Fortunes, our sacred Honor". & because of that covenant made more than four centuries ago between God & our newborn America, to borrow another biblical statement for the covenant of marriage in Mark 10:9,  "What God has joined together, (God's covenant made with America) let not man put asunder."

Definition of Asunder:

"To separate, divide or tear into pieces"

Let's take this as serious as God does. Let's honor the covenant of God with America. & then that Star Spangled Banner will always wave, over "the land of the free & the home of the brave." & as we do, God will truly bless AMERICA! 

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

Raintree Perk of the Day:

"Happy are the people (country, nation) whose God is the Lord!"  Psalm 144:15

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 Song of the South

"🎵Zip-a-dee-doo-dah...

....Zip-a-dee-ay!

...my oh my  oh what a wonderful day!

Plenty of sunshine (& roses!)

...headin' my way!

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah!

Zip-a-dee-ay!!🎵"
That song was sung by Uncle Remus from the Disney movie "Song of the South"
that I watched when I was a little girl. I loved Uncle Remus! I loved the movie! & I loved the song! & I still sing the song as I'm sure so many others do. You just can't help it because it's such a fun & happy song. But these days I sing an entirely different version albeit the same title. Yes, for those of us into our seventh decade of our sojourn of life, (actually probably a lot sooner but it didn't scream at me like it does now.)  the Song of the South that I sing a lot now is 'going south'. Or the downward pull of gravity such as in my skin, my muscles, or certain parts of my body. (😦) Or energy. My going uphill is going downhill. Then, concerning my husband, hearing ( oh those non-conversations!) & eyesight. It's not just the Old Gray Mare that ain't what she used to be. Not to be disrespectful to the song, but it came to my mind the other day, another different version,

"🎵Where has all my _______(fill in the blank)gone?

Body, money, skin, energy, hearing, seeing, thinking, hair (that's a big one!) etcetera, etcetera. Only it didn't seem long time passing. "🎵Yesterday, I thought my _______(again, fill in the blank) was here to stay. Now I find that it has gone away...🎵"  except for weight & frequent visitations from pain that can turn from visitations into chronic extended vacations. 

Also I've discovered it's whole lot easier to get down on my knees, (due to gravity) than it is to get back up (known as defying gravity). Oh! Excuse me! I've been sitting (or standing or walking) too long. Time out while I rebound for a few minutes to keep the lymphatic flow going & then ten air squats ( or a reasonable facsimile) for core strength because of the aforementioned sitting for a bit. Then, to drink a glass of water, take a few supplements, quaff that protein/energy libation, & ten deep breaths to refresh the oxygen in my blood, brain, &... 

"...stimulates the vagus nerve & activates the parasympathetic nervous system." & I'm all about sympathetic. We septuagenarians plus need all of the sympathy we can get, para or otherwise! Well, maybe a little compassion & patience at least. After all, all of us mortals come to this door of aging sooner or later & you don't get to choose whether or not you go through either. Sometimes it seems like you get violently pushed into it. & sometimes it comes as a surprise. I remember that surprise the first time I was down on the floor & realized I couldn't get back up on my own. Actually, it was more of a shock. I crawled to the couch for assistance.   

"Sunrise, Sunset...swiftly fly the years...🎵"

& that song isn't just about my children anymore! 

Sometime, the 'vapor' that the Bible calls our lives on earth, will turn into a eulogy as we sing our final Song of the South, & return to 'dust', THE END. 😢

But wait, wait. In the cowboy vernacular, "Holt on here." Yes the body ages. Yes the mind may wane. Yes the hair may thin & the pain may be hard. but that's just the body. & there's more to us than just our body. Don't you feel young in your heart? Don't you feel ageless? That's God's signature of eternity calling. Because God made you, the real you,  the spirit you, to live forever. Then, when the aging process is over, & we step through the door called death, "... this mortal will put on immortality." (First Corinthians 15:54) & when we know & follow Jesus, that means Heaven...

& when He sounds that clarion call, "Suppertime"! that's when I'll be singing my new song. The 'Song of the North'! Because I'm going in & I'm going UP! Home... home at last! & not The End. It is written, "In the beginning". Our new, forever, beginning. It does NOT!!! get better than that. I hope to see you there!

(Romans 10:9 & 10)

Raintree Perk of the Day:

"It's the truth, it's actual, everything is (more than!) satisfactual...🎵"

I will NEVER get tired of this picture. Preview of things to come!

💖

His Precious

 

"It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood...𝅘𝅥𝅯𝅘𝅥𝅯"! Oh my goodness! After so many days of superunnatural days of heat (for the month of May that is!) & WIND!!!

If there's one weather nemesis in my life, it is not freezing, sweltering, rain or snow. It is 30, 40, 50 etcetera miles an hour consistent day & night WIND!!!

But enough said about that. "That was yesterday, & yesterday's gone. 𝆔" Two days ago, the beautiful, soaking, life giving rains came after a very dry winter & spring.  Not only was the winter dry, it was mostly mild & warm. In other words, we basically had no winter, which, for me, was disheartening. It threw my whole physiological being out of whack. My winter dormant mode did not have it's expression, & upset my body's circadian rhythm. But now, we are having more seasonal weather for us, so things are beginning to bring balance to my here-to-fore unbalanced, confused, wonky (don't you love that word? 😁) world.

I have been planting & potting flowers like mad, with the willing help of my soulmate & spouse (so sweet!😇) a work of several days, days which were the hot & windy ones. 😓But one of the rewards was gratifying to my taste buds.

A root beer float! Small but satisfying. Man!

& so many beautiful flowers! 

   

I'll post more pictures later because there are so many & I would never get to the subject at hand. 

I love to go to flower nurseries in the Spring, even if I don't purchase anything because it's such a delight to the sight & olfactory senses, a potpourri of colors & varieties that you could spend the day at least just enjoying (& rejoicing in!) God's creativity. & to think that there are flowers that we haven't even seen or even know exist! I love God's extravagance  don't you?!

But, He takes extravagance to a whole new level when it comes to we humans. As in, according to Genesis 1:27, we are created in His image. But are we talking about a visual image here? In John 14:9 Jesus says to Philip, "If you have seen me you have seen the Father." In other words, Jesus was telling Philip that He & the Father were so one that He was the perfect representation of His Father. There is no way that we can ever grasp the infinite & immeasurable  dimensions of God. Suffice it to say that each person that lives or who has ever lived has or does encapsulate one of the facets of the God who created us in His image. We are incredibly, uniquely & un-understandably, one-of-a-kind, created. That is past mind-blowing!

"For You (our own Heavenly Father) formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully & wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, & that my soul knows very well." (Psalm 139 13 & 14 But to get the full value, read the entire Psalm). This revelation should fill every one of us with joy unspeakable  beyond measure, of the intimacy, the sacred personal-ness of that scripture. Not only did He personally oversee & construct our makeup, our 'who we are' in every infinitesimal part, He also, through salvation through Jesus, comes to inhabit His creation, you & me, to make us "partakers of His divine nature" . (2 Peter 1:4) If you would truly observe flowers, even of the same species, you would see that, like snowflakes, no two are exactly alike. I cannot even fathom that. But, again, take that to the out-of-this-world (literally!) human level, WOW...did I already say mind-blowing?! That is hard to, as they say these days, to wrap your head around, isn't it? Now, that's just the beginning. Not only is each one of us uniquely & individually made by our Heavenly Father, He also loves every single one of us in a one-of-a-kind unique & intimate way. He loves you in a different way than He does anyone else, but just as much. His love for each of us is created equal. & it doesn't begin or end anywhere, forever. It  always was. It always will be. He thought you up. Then He brought you into existence. It was always His plan for you to be a part of His family. Even when you weren't. Even when you didn't want to be. Even when you sinned. Or sin. He doesn't change His mind about you ever. His plan for you to belong to Him is eternal. His love for you is eternal. 

"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

He made the way through His Perfect Son Jesus, for us to be His, because He didn't want His world without us to be with Him in  it. Each little old 'grain of sand' humanity. Us. Exclusive. Singular. Extraordinary. Rare. Unparalleled.  Unprecedented. Incomparable. When He made you & me, He broke the mold. & because He did it,  there is not now or ever could have been or could ever be, another you. & He calls you, &  each of us, all by ourselves,  "My Precious." & if you listen very closely, I believe that you will hear those "His lips to your ears" words. For you are beautifully & wonderfully made. By Him.

Raintree Perk of the Day:

 A verse that never grows old,

"I have called you by name. You are mine."!

His Precious.