River and Rainbows, Painting and Popsicles, Summer Squash and Sounding Shofars

What a long, funny title! My title for this post is a good description of my summer though.

This summer has been one of the warmest summers we can ever remember; in fact, it may be the hottest summer we've ever had!

Around mid July, I decided to go to a park that's very close to our home. This park is so close I can almost see it from our home. It's about a 2 minute drive, and it's a park I enjoy frequenting often. I especially enjoy walking there, and there is a lovely, little pond there as well. That particular day, I wanted to spend time in prayer, and it seemed as though there were people everywhere I looked. I usually pray silently to the Lord on my prayer walks, but that day, I really felt the need to pray out loud. With people nearby, I decided that praying out loud wasn't going to work there. 

So I hopped into my vehicle and decided to drive to another nearby park, one that is about 4-5 minutes from our home. This park is one I hadn't been to in a very long time, for many years in fact. I forgot how incredibly beautiful it is there. 

There is a river that flows down from the mountains and runs through our town. This small, nearby park is situated just above the banks of the river. When I got there, I was reminded how much I love this little park. I think I enjoy this park as much as the other one I mentioned. I found the perfect, little spot to pray out loud that day, and I left the park that afternoon feeling refreshed. 

The beautiful river that flows through our town.

My quiet prayer spot with a delightful view of the river.

I decided my one visit wasn't enough, and a few days later, I found myself back at this park, if nothing more than to simply enjoy the serenity of the peaceful river flowing by. I took several pictures that day, and I even decided to use one as the background screen on my cell phone. 

To me, the river scenes looked like drawings or paintings from story books of days long gone by, such as the "Little House on the Prairie" books written by Laura Ingalls Wilder which are based in the mid to late 1800's. (and this river is no more than 5 minutes from our home!) 

A small, sunlit path through the tall grass to the river. So serene. 

"When Peace Like a River" 

Another storybook looking scene.
Can't you just picture a covered wagon appearing on the horizon?

Summer came in with a bang here on June 1st, and it seems like, ever since then, we've had relentlessly, hot temperatures! We've had weeks with temperatures well over 90 degrees every day with little reprieve at night. I've laid in bed many nights with temperatures in the 80's, even after 10 p.m. at night. It's been around midnight until I finally fall asleep because it's been so warm in my bedroom. That is unusual for Colorado. Warm temperatures are not uncommon during the summer, but most nights, it cools down to temperatures (usually in the 60's) that are very comfortable for sleeping. This year, our nights were not that way. 

What do you do when you aren't sleeping very well at night due to the heat? 

Take cool showers or go to the river during the day where the water is refreshingly cool to soak your feet in. That's exactly what I did! 

Upon hearing that I was visiting a nearby river frequently, a friend of mine shared that the Lord must have a special love for rivers because in the first and last books of the Bible (Genesis and Revelation), we read about rivers. True! I hadn't thought of that before. What a very special thought that was! 

The Psalms also mention a river that flows (or will flow) through the city of God someday. (which is Jerusalem)

"There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High." 

Psalm 46:4 

Another view of this river looking upstream. 

I soaked my feet many times in the river this summer!
I wonder if Jesus ever did this when He walked the earth?

My favorite place to sit is underneath a bridge at this park. 

I've taken my Bible and spent a lot of time in prayer at the river this summer. Last week, I read Psalm 2 and prayed specifically for our nation and for persecuted Christians around the world.  

The Psalms and the river were refreshing!  

I've also enjoyed some very bright and beautiful rainbows this summer after an occasional, evening rain shower! (I sleep better on those nights too because of the cooler temperatures!) Rainbows remind me of God's promises. 

 

A recent rainbow that filled the sky outside our home. 

This month, I undertook a painting project that I wanted to do last summer, but I couldn't paint then because of outdoor smoke we had in the air due to very bad fires here last summer and fall. I would've had no way to air out this room after painting. This month, it finally happened! 

We have a sewing room in the basement of our home. It's a quiet room, and it has my sewing table in it, along with a table set up with a computer where I give online harp lessons. (and where I write blog posts!) I also keep my all my harp CD's in this room which are neatly stacked in many boxes. When a CD order comes in, this room is where those orders are packed. 

Back in 2010, I decided that I was tired of the plain, white walls in this room. I decided on a soft, cheery yellow paint dubbed "Morning Sunlight" from Home Depot and found some yellow curtains to match. I loved my cheerful, yellow sewing for 10 years, but last year, I decided that I'd had enough of the yellow. I wanted something different, something more natural, more like a light tan color. 

I went to a Sherwin Williams paint store close to our home and picked out and paid for a paint color called "Natural Linen". 

After emptying this room of its contents, my Dad helped me to prep the room and tape the edges of the walls, windows, etc. (so kind of my Dad!)  

   

My yellow sewing room before being painted. 

My yellow sewing room all taped and ready to be painted! 

Then my Dad and I went to work! I learned a lot from my Dad as the two of us put on two coats or two gallons of paint. After two coats, it appeared to be finished! The next morning, I peaked to look at my freshly painted sewing room. To my dismay, I could see hints of yellow coming through. My Dad could see it too. So, back to the paint store we went to purchase a third gallon of paint! I learned from the guy helping us in the paint store that day that yellow is one of the hardest colors to paint over! (so we discovered!) 

After three gallons and three coats of paint, my sewing room was finally finished! I was pleased with the finished result, although it was slightly darker than I anticipated. My Dad said that is common when painting; the finished result is often slightly darker than you think it will be. 

It's a very light yet warm tan with just a hint of grey. I like it! I found some ruffled, Priscilla curtains that I purchased on eBay for just $20 that completed the room. Everything has since been moved back into the room, and two weeks later, I can still smell some paint fumes. I think it will take a few weeks to fully air out.      

My freshly painted sewing room! 

As a child, summer was, without a doubt, my favorite season. Why? Summer meant no school, swimming, and popsicles! What could be better than that? 

I still love summer, but I confess, I've never looked forward to fall so much before as I have this summer. It's been so hot. It's not fun when you can't sleep at night because it's so warm. 

Popsicles are something I still continue to enjoy during the summer, even as an adult. My family and I love the Outshine Bars that you can usually find at Walmart.  While I enjoy all the fruit flavors I've tried, mango is probably my favorite. 

To my delight, my zucchini plant appears to be doing well, so much so, I think I might get a lot of zucchini from my one plant! I love zucchini or summer squash. 

I didn't know what to expect when I started twelve plants indoors from seed this past April. It think nine sprouted and three never came up. Sadly, four or five plants died a short time after sprouting. I was left with only four or five to plant in our small garden plot - squash and cucumbers. 

It was my turn to try planting something in our small, backyard garden, and although I planted them a month late (because they came up late), I've faithfully watered them and even prayed over them.  

A few weeks ago, I discovered that cucumbers and squash have to be pollinated in order to produce. I also discovered that these plants have both male and female flowers on them. The male flowers appear first, and then the female flowers appear. Produce always comes from the female flowers, but they have to be pollinated by the male flowers in order to yield produce. That is the bees job; that is what they do. They take pollen from the male flower to the female flower.

Wow! Talk about the evidence of God in creation, even in plants! I never knew all that before about male and female flowers. Even if I learned that in school, I'd long since forgotten!  

If you don't have very many bees where you live (which is somewhat common for people who live in a neighborhood like we do), then you might not get any produce! 

So I began praying... "Abba Father, would You please send bees to my little garden!"  

This past Saturday morning, I went to check on my zucchini plant, and to my surprise and great delight, there was a bee inside the center of the flower and was busy pollinating it. I was overjoyed to see that! God answered my prayer! My female flowers (with small zucchini on them) are slowly coming! 

While most people are probably enjoying cucumbers and zucchini in August, I will get to enjoy those in September instead. (because I planted them a month late) 

Our soil in Colorado is not good. Under our top soil is clay which is not good for growing things. So, I decided to ask for tips or ideas on my WhatsApp status one day. I received many comments from friends about something called "Back to Eden" gardening. (which you can look up and watch on YouTube) I also learned about a good plant food from someone else in the spring time. I've learned that it pays to ask about things like gardening! You can learn a lot! Even though I didn't implement either one of those things this year, I hope to implement them in the future! The only thing we've ever grown successfully in our small, backyard garden is tomatoes. (which we purchase as starter plants from a local greenhouse)    

This year, I'm eagerly awaiting summer squash and cucumbers instead, hopefully in early to mid September before summer is over! I have baby cucumbers growing on the vine right now.  

The bee inside my zucchini flower! 

I've also been blowing my shofars in anticipation of the Biblical holiday coming up known as the "Feast of Trumpets" or "Rosh Hashanah".

I own two shofars (ram's horns), and I enjoy blowing them, especially this time of year! I have a smaller one and a larger one. I purchased both of them in Jerusalem (Israel) on two different trips. The smaller one cost me about $20 and the larger one about $80. I love to blow my larger one!

My shofars remind of a verse in the Bible which says: 

"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God..." 

1 Thessalonians 4:16 

I believe the word for trump in this verse is the Hebrew word for shofar. Someday, Jesus will shout and then blow His shofar to gather His people home to heaven! 

Next week, on September 9th, is the Biblical holiday of the Feast of Trumpets! Every year, this Biblical holiday makes me anticipate the return of Christ. The Bible days that no man will know the day or hour when Christ returns, but we will know when it is near or "at the door" the Bible says. I believe we are getting very close! 

It's a good time to be watching and anticipating Christ's return because that is what this Biblical holiday represents and points to. Will I be blowing my shofar that day? I sure will! 

Just like I celebrated Passover this past spring in remembrance of what Christ did in dying for us on Passover, I will blow my shofar to let the Lord know that I can hardly wait until He returns. 

Until He comes, I desire to live for God every day. 

God gives us so many wonderful blessings each and every day. I find much delight and have much gratitude to the Lord for the little things He blesses us with such as: rivers and rainbows, fruit popsicles and summer squash, buzzing bees and blooming flowers! 

I will miss those things when summer ends, but I'm eagerly anticipating the cooler fall season!