Easter

I am not sure where to start - my writing has been sporadic, and there is a reason:
We are taking advantage of this beautiful spring weather, and the fact that traveling is still easy before the baby comes. So we have been out and about many times these past weeks.

Let me start with Easter.
I always feel let down by the 'American way' of (not) celebrating Easter (enough). Back home, Easter lasts for at least five full days, and it's a fond memory for me to remember the family gathering and the egg coloring, the walks and the gift hunting. So when I came to America, I felt like it's a holiday that is barely recognized. When I became a Christian - I thought, this holiday needs some revival because it should be the biggest Christian holiday celebrated. Really! So in past year's, I have been disappointed when Easter came and passed as if it was not a big deal. Seriously, in some parts of this country, Memorial Day and Labor Day are celebrated more than Easter....
So I was glad that this year, we had a very nice Good Friday Service at church. It was beautiful to start the Easter weekend. That was followed by our family's Easter egg hunt at our house. Here is a picture of the kids, all ready and pumped up to race for the egss.....

Mema and Tia came to visit for Easter, so they could see the kids and share their excitement. It was a packed but fun weekend. So for the Easter egg hunt, we hid the eggs filled with candy in the backyard, and the kids had a blast. While they were doing that, I sneaked in the house and hid the real gifts..... The kids loved every single gift and pretty much played for the rest of the day. I love to see their faces brightened with smiles. It's such a joy.
Here is a picture with Peanut wearing half her new cowgirl outfit. She loves the boots especially.

On Sunday, we went to church. A picture of Beth and Peanut before the service - their dresses kind of matched. We had a special service for the children, an Easter play, written by my beautiful best friend Beth, and performed by her and a 'secret' actor.  The kids totally enjoyed the show and the shooting - not with guns - we had eggs flying through the air.

And in the afternoon, we went to a friend's house to celebrate with our church family. The kids had a big play date with all their friends, and we adults could have some time together as well. It was fun and relaxing.

It was the best Easter ever that I got to celebrate her in the states. It was relaxing and yet, we were constantly surrounded by loved ones, family and friends. These are those moments when I feel so blessed to have people around me that I love and that love me back. Truly blessed that God has brought us to this place - it's pretty awesome. Easter and spring are just a reminder that God can renew things, He can turn around all things into something good to those who love Him, He can restore, and He keeps His promises that we will prosper...... well, I felt like that on that weekend.

To Be Or Not To Be.... an American

This is a fun post about my life experience here in the States. I am a fan of this country - I am blessed to be able to live here, I love my life here and the possibilities this country offers me and my family.
I am happy where I am and anything said in this post is suppose to be funny or ironic or simply 'odd' to the spectator (me). So please enjoy:

Ten signs that I could pass as an American:

1. I love how people stand up for others over here - it gives the word 'selfless' a real meaning and for me it's an incredible life experience. I have never been so blessed through other people, friends and even acquaintances, like here in the US. It's quite refreshing and has blessed my life on days when I really needed it and on days when I least expected it.
2. I really LOVE my automatic car! 
3. I can (and love) homeschooling - I would go to jail for that back home.
4. I got used to the drive-throughs (bank, food, ...etc) - it's so convenient especially with children (but it's also so lazy).
5. I really enjoy getting my pedicures - so relaxing (try to find that back home!?).
6. Cheap gas is just one of those fantastic freedoms to enjoy over here - I mean, we still complain how expensive it has gotten, but believe me, it's nowhere near what Europeans have to pay at the pump!
7. Vegan-ism and it's possibility - I had a real hard time finding any food last time I visited Germany - glad I don't have to starve here....
8. the availability of long opening hours at the stores, even if I don't take advantage of it; 24/7 just doesn't exist in Europe (at least it didn't when I left a decade ago)
9. I love the idea of the melting pot - at the same time, I love the American spirit of unison (and sometimes I even include myself) - this patriotism is very unique in this world (and worth copying!)
10. I love the freedom of religions - I love my God and I can show it when- and wherever I want.

Ten things to prove that I am not fully ready to be a citizen - yet:

1. I do NOT like air conditioning. I believe that God created our bodies to adjust to summer and winter temperatures, without modern technology.
2. I don't wear white tennis socks. Ever!
3. I like to go to the park whenever I want, day or night! (parks in Europe don't close.... - if you live on the east coast, you will understand!)
4. I will never be superficial - I am a pretty straight forward person, to the point of being too frank at times, but lying just doesn't appeal to me at all.
5. I miss walking and hiking and riding my bike..... in this big country, everything is by car!
6. I don't like the low speed limits - one can never fully drive the car to it's capacity! The Autobahn is still the greatest ting invented..... (car-speaking!)
7. I will never get into sports like most Americans do - to me it's a bunch of people running after a ball (or hitting it I guess). Sorry.
8. sometimes, I like to relax! No, as an American, you won't get it - I mean truly relax, in a quiet place, no shopping (not even online), no TV, no pressure of having to do anything.... just relaxing and enjoying life, nature, and family. 
9. I will NEVER get the old English Imperial system! It makes NO sense whatsoever! I very much prefer the metric system and it's logic.
   This also goes for the time issue of not using the full 24 hours of the day.....
10. I think they don't have enough holidays here in America - or at least days off from work (hahaha)

Dads do things differently

Last night, I got to enjoy a girl's night out, while the Hubby stayed home (again) to watch the kids and put them to bed. When he wanted to eat his dinner, the kids begged to eat something with him - even though I had fed them already. After (apparently) much arguing, they could finally agree on some yoghurt. And here comes the problem - and the solution.

There was only one of each kind of yoghurt.

My kids used to love yoghurt, and then..... stopped eating it altogether, which is so frustrating to me, because I think it is such a great healthy desert - when your kids are really into deserts! So in order to get them to eat it again, I had bought the ones with toppings - you know: Oreo crushings, or M&Ms. So back to my story, there was only one of each left.

What would Mami do?
I would make them choose! Kids have to learn how to make choices, because every day, we, as adults, have to make choices. So that's what I would have done.

What does Daddy do?
He opens both yoghurts, opens both toppings, and shares them! So each child got a yoghurt with both, M&Ms and Oreo crushing. Daddy is awesome.

I, personally, would have never thought of this! Seriously, sometimes, my brain is in such a fog that I would just not think of these solutions. But the Hubby is quite creative, so that was HIS solution. And he said that the kids were super happy with that and readily ate their yoghurt without complaining.

Great Daddy-ing!!!

Lifelist accomplishment #18

#18 "Been horse back riding - with the Navajo Indians through Monument Valley"

It was that glorious summer of 2001. It was hot in the valley. But our spirits were high. A dream of mine would come true. Oh the excitement. I could not wait. And yet, I was a little nervous. I had never been on a horse in my life - it's a little hard when one grows up in the city - I felt intimidated and exhilarated at the same time. When this opportunity 'knocked on the door', I couldn't say no, no matter the cost.
We would be riding with the Navajo Indians through Monument Valley. WOW.
The journey on horseback took about three to four hours. I can't remember. Well, we took it easy - no galloping through the prairie!

Once we got there, we were given an Indian dinner, got to see Indian tribal dances, and slept under the stars for the entire night. In the morning, we got up before the sun did, rode in jeeps out to a spot where the sunrise is suppose to be extra beautiful. So we got to see that, drove back to the camp, and climbed back on that horse to ride all the way back out of the valley.

It was a fantastic experience.

Lifelist Accomplishment #11

Lifelist # 11 "Sang Karaoke (in New Orleans on 9/11)"

If you read my post about the ten's anniversary of 9/11, you know where I was on that fateful morning. We were traveling around the country, and on that morning we were leaving for New Orleans, from where I was to catch an airplane to fly back to New Jersey. Well, I never made it. But what I did instead was go out in the 'dead' and 'sad' city of New Orleans, with a bunch of Europeans who were more or less oblivious to the current events that shook me to the core!

We went out to dinner at a nice little restaurant, and then ended up in a Karaoke bar somewhere near Bourbon Street. The bar was not very packed and I guess we were more daring than usual:

We were singing to "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" from Shania Twain. It was actually fun for those five minutes of fame (and I could forget the dreadfulness of that day for a little time).

Lifelist Accomplishment #26

Lifelist # 26  "Witnessed a solar eclipse"

It was in the year of 1999. A warm summer day that turned almost as dark as the night. Back then, my photography skills were not good at all, so there is no better picture than this one. But I did find a picture online from the same town and the same year:

A total solar eclipse happens when the moon moves in front of the sun, so really, it moves in between sun and earth, covering the sun, so it gets dark.
It was pretty cool to watch this event, even if it only lasted for a few minutes, literally.

Who am I?

I am sure I am not the only one when I say that, sometimes, I am struggling with figuring out WHO I am.....

I have many titles, like sister, wife, mother, friend -  but do those titles define who I am?

I am not sure. Sometimes, I feel pulled between all those 'jobs'. Can I be a good sister-in-law without being a good wife? Can I be a good friend and a good mother at the same time? My inner strive to perfection wants me to be a good Everything. I want to serve my husband as well as my children, and still be a good friend and a 'perfect' servant to God.

How can I do ALL that without exhausting myself, burning myself out, and feeling like I need to crawl in a corner and hide? (like these past few days)

Ephesians 5:10 says simply this: "...and find out what pleases the Lord." (NIV)
It sounds pretty easy, but believe me, it's not. God is funny - He only lets us see small bits and pieces of what He has planned for us, if at all. In some areas, I DO feel like I know where God wants to take me, in others, I am completely clueless. This part is a bit frustrating. Even though I know that it is only to protect me.

I am also trying to pin-point my strengths and my weaknesses. It requires alot of honesty with myself - this can hurt quite a lot, and then sometimes, I am quite impressed with myself. Usually, I am not taking well to criticism and I am working on that - it particular hurts when it comes from the people around me that love me and are suppose to 'protect' me from such 'attacks'. Don't worry, this is not meant in an angry way at all - I am simply learning that if family and friends point things out to me, they do it because they care! It is actually quite liberating to know that.
This keeps me accountable to them all. As a Christian, I am accountable to God; as a wife, I am accountable to my husband; as a mother, my children will keep me on my toes; and as a friend, I am accountable to those that I call my close friends and that I want to keep close to me.

I also had to forgive myself for making mistakes in the past. No, let me rephrase that! Many, many mistakes. I had to forgive others as well. And I had to learn (and still am learning) to accept myself and others as humans that are wired to make mistakes - after all, why would we need God if we were so perfect!?

Through my daily declarations (I will write more on that in a later post), I am trying to dissolve the negative opinions that I have about myself. I am learning to be nice to myself, and to others. We are all walking on this earth, more or less 'lost', and if we encourage each other, support each other and lift each other up, we might help carry each others burdens, and actually might eliminate some of the problems we had before (when we were 'fighting' each other).

Additionally, I am learning to change my attitude towards my life and it's struggles and it's blessings. It's a huge step for me. Because my inner wiring leans more towards pessimism - so I have to make an extra step to see things with the 'bright side', rather than becoming bitter by circumstances. I read somewhere that I should try to recycle my frustrations into something useful, like become passionate about something. I like this idea...... So I am determined to love my life as it is.

One thing is important to me: honesty. So I want to stay honest with myself. I don't want to 'fake' being a good wife, mother, and friend. I am who I am - I am many things; I am stubborn, and persevere, but I am also faithful and honest. God sees my true Me anyways, so why would I want to hide it.

So who am I? I am not perfect! Simply, I am trying to be a good person. I am trying to be a good wife, mother, and friend. I am trying to be the best servant to my Savior. I am trying to constantly be molded by my heavenly Father to be better today than I was yesterday. Sometimes, I fail.... but God is gracious - and that is what I would ask of my family and friends, to be gracious with me as well. I trust in God that He knows what He is going with me.  And I am hopeful, that with time, I will be more successful than not.

Thank you for making me be accountable to you.....

Lifelist Accomplishment #34

Lifelist #34 "Be a mom"

I did not always want to be a mom, but eventually, I came around, got married, and once I was under that 'roof', I wanted to have children immediately. It didn't work out right away, but the third try was a charm.....

....I was able to carry my first-born to term, and to prove it, here is a picture of me about a week before he was born. I was biiiiig!

He was a handsome little man back then.

And he is an energetic five and half year old now!

Vacation for Mami or Nesting Rampage

For the past ten days, we had a visitor in our house: Mema came to spend some time with us. It had been since Christmas and we missed her so much. The kids went wild on her and with her, and Mami went on vacation!

Well, not really! - Actually, I want on a nesting rampage......

I cleaned pretty much the entire house.
From laundry room (that badly needed it) to bathrooms and kids rooms. I scrubbed bathtubs and showers, floors and ovens, and almost took the refrigerator apart in order to clean it. I went through all the kids clothing and sorted the ones out that don't fit anymore. I do that randomly anyways, but this time, it included the sorting of summer and winter clothes. I threw away mountains of paper, packaging, old stuff that accumulates in one's house over the years. I guess, I was in serious nesting mode.....

Then Peanut needed to move out of her 'old' room - completely, so I did that. She moved into Coqui's room with all her clothes now - so that room seems to get smaller and smaller. They are sharing a dresser, they are sharing a closet, and they are sharing all their toys. I love it. Bed time has become so much easier - seriously, I wonder why I have not thought of this before.......

So the old room is now officially the baby's room. It's green, it's cozy, and I can't wait to spend a few sleepless nights in that rocking chair..... yeah! I pulled out the baby's bedding, the sleep positioner (remember that one?), all the receiving blankets and swaddles, the clothes diapers, and the snuggles.

The room is ready - all it needs is the baby!

And for those that have missed why I am on a nesting rampage, here is the link to the exciting announcement:
"Making a Baby in a different way". We are 29 weeks along....

Lifelist Accomplishment #35

Lifelist #35 "Bathed in a hot spring"

It was on that same trip around the US in the summer of 2001 - I am truly blessed that I have seen that much of this country. It's a beautiful country to love and to travel through. So we went to the hot springs by Yellowstone National Park. Located along the 45th Parallel of Latitude, halfway between Equator and North Pole - pretty cool! It was later in the day and a bath after a day of adventures just sounded too good to deny.

Yes, that's me in the pink bathing suit. Where we are standing, it was soooo cold, and then just a few feet away, it got hotter and hotter. Total weird feeling to have water of different temperatures swooshing by you constantly.

Lifelist Accomplishment #6

Lifelist # 6 - "Gone skydiving"

This one was a once-in-a-lifetime event. I am not sure if I had the guts to do it today. But when one is young and courageous and has no family of its own, things seem less threatening, I guess.

So I signed my life away one early morning in late August of 2001. I was traveling all around the US, and what would be better than to do it in the desert near Las Vegas. I had talked to my parents on the way, NOT telling them what I was about to do....

This is me in the little airplane that brings you up to about 10.000 feet. Ten thousand feet doesn't sound high, but when my co-flyer asked me to put my foot out of the airplane, I just refused. So he had to give me just a little push-over.... and out we were..... FLYING!

At first, I was not sure if I would be able to breathe so high up in thin air. But after a few gentle gulps, I realized that it was a fabulous feeling to fly. I totally enjoyed soaring through the air towards earth. After only ten minutes or so, it was all over - unfortunately. I can see how people get addicted to this. I think I could, too..... if I hadn't three children now!

So one more picture, the aftermath:

Life is good.

Lifelist accomplishments #17

So I was thinking that it would be fun to run a series about all the accomplishments that I mentioned on my Lifelist about a year ago.

Today, I thought I'd share number 17 with you: "Ridden on a San Francisco cable car"

The Easter Walk

There are certain moments from my childhood, that I will never forget. It's sweet memories and they make me all warm inside. Though Christmas is still one of my favorite memories, Easter could be right behind it....

It seems that Easter is not a big deal here in America. So far, I don't have a specific time that is dear to my heart - YET! I DO want to change that. I DO want my kids to remember Easter as family time with family traditions, not just Easter egg hunts and Easter service in church. Not that it is not important to teach them what Easter really means - believe me, Coqui's schooling this week was heavy on the Easter story! But it is also a time for family.

So my family would gather together, usually on Saturday or Sunday, though there was not a set day for this, and we would read this poem written by, probably, THE most famous German writer. It's Goethe, who wrote Faust. Now, I think most of you have at least heard of him. So in the book Faust, there is a poem called "The Easter Walk". It's a beautiful poem that we all read, one after the other. After sooooo many years, I can still recite it by heart. So today, I wanted to share that with you, first in German, in it's original language, and then I found a translation online  - so you would understand what it means.

Vor dem Tor

Vom Eise befreit sind Strom und Bäche
Durch des Frühlings holden, belebenden Blick,
Im Tale grünet Hoffnungsglück;
Der alte Winter, in seiner Schwäche,
Zog sich in rauhe Berge zurück.
Von dort her sendet er, fliehend, nur
Ohnmächtige Schauer körnigen Eises
In Streifen über die grünende Flur.
Aber die Sonne duldet kein Weißes,
Überall regt sich Bildung und Streben,
Alles will sie mit Farben beleben;
Doch an Blumen fehlts im Revier,
Sie nimmt geputzte Menschen dafür.
Kehre dich um, von diesen Höhen
Nach der Stadt zurück zu sehen!
Aus dem hohlen finstern Tor
Dringt ein buntes Gewimmel hervor.
Jeder sonnt sich heute so gern.
Sie feiern die Auferstehung des Herrn,
Denn sie sind selber auferstanden:
Aus niedriger Häuser dumpfen Gemächern,
Aus Handwerks- und Gewerbesbanden,
Aus dem Druck von Giebeln und Dächern,
Aus der Straßen quetschender Enge,
Aus der Kirchen ehrwürdiger Nacht
Sind sie alle ans Licht gebracht.
Sieh nur, sieh! wie behend sich die Menge
Durch die Gärten und Felder zerschlägt,
Wie der Fluß in Breit und Länge
So manchen lustigen Nachen bewegt,
Und, bis zum Sinken überladen,
Entfernt sich dieser letzte Kahn.
Selbst von des Berges fernen Pfaden
Blinken uns farbige Kleider an.
Ich höre schon des Dorfs Getümmel,
Hier ist des Volkes wahrer Himmel,
Zufrieden jauchzet groß und klein:
Hier bin ich Mensch, hier darf ichs sein!

(Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Faust I)

From Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: "Faust", translation by Edgar Alfred Bowring, 1853

From the ice they are freed, the stream and brook,
By the Spring's enlivening, lovely look;
The valley's green with joys of hope;
The Winter old and weak ascends
Back to the rugged mountain slope.

From there, as he flees, he downward sends
An impotent shower of icy hail
Streaking over the verdant vale.
Ah! but the Sun will suffer no white,

Growth and formation stir everywhere,
'Twould fain with colours make all things bright,

Though in the landscape are no blossoms fair.
Instead it takes gay-decked humanity.

Now turn around and from this height,
Looking backward, townward see.

Forth from the cave-like, gloomy gate
Crowds a motley and swarming array.

Everyone suns himself gladly today.
The Risen Lord they celebrate,

For they themselves have now arisen
From lowly houses' mustiness,
From handicraft's and factory's prison,
From the roof and gables that oppress,

From the bystreets' crushing narrowness,
From the churches' venerable night,
They are all brought out into light.
See, only see, how quickly the masses
Scatter through gardens and fields remote;
How down and across the river passes
So many a merry pleasure-boat.

And over-laden, almost sinking,
The last full wherry moves away.
From yonder hill's far pathways blinking,
Flash to us colours of garments gay.

Hark! Sounds of village joy arise;
Here is the people's paradise,

Contented, great and small shout joyfully:
"Here I am Man, here dare it to be!"

HAPPY EASTER from my family to yours!

Homeschoolling and it's challenges

I know, I know, the school year is not over yet - but I wanted to take a minute and look back at what I wanted from this school year and how things have been going for us. To be honest, lately, school hasn't gone so well. Regardless all the frustrations, I want to remember Why I want to homeschool. It was a decision that I had made a long time ago, and that God confirmed over a year ago. So this was the right decision for us, at least for now. This first full year was also to figure out multiple things: finding a schedule that will work for our family, finding ways to enhance the learning experience, and finding the subjects that Coqui loves and the ones that he will have struggles with, and to help him to get over those hurdles. 

Lately, Coqui has been fighting me on school A LOT. He just doesn't want to do it, at all. So of course, that is very disappointing to me, and I immediately look for MY mistakes. A ton of question jump around in my head and I am not sure how to find the answers. I am not sure if it is the style of school he doesn't like, or if he is just not that interested in learning. For example, he never asks any questions. Like why is this? Or what does this mean? Or how does that work? He just wants to play all day. Maybe it's a boy thing? I don't know.

All I do know is that I am frustrated. Frustrated because my (German) instinct tells me that I want to get school done early in the morning, the sooner the better, and I want to get the school year done asap, so we can start our summer just like regular school. Right now, we are about a month behind - at least when I only look at the days that these kids are in public school. It is hard to compare where they are and where we are.

I thought, we had done great with all the different stuff that I had organized for us. We joined a co-op last summer, so he wouldn't have to 'just' sit at home, but he has the opportunity to learn in a group sitting and make new friends. He always has so much fun over there (like here).
We have participated in multiple field trips (farm, fire station, zoo, ice cream factory, a free Tae kwon doe class) - fun ones and just plain old playground excursions. He liked every one of them. His favorite was the one to the fire station - those big engines impressed him quite a bit!
I am trying to make it fun with theme weeks (here and here) - and yes, we only did it once. I am trying to include science experiments at home like here and he really loves those.
Recently, we even made Ice cream Mondays (instead of an ice cream Sunday).

But when it comes to do the work on paper - you know: the handwriting, the spelling, the Maths and all the other subjects that we are working on - he gives me such a hard time. And I don't understand why?

Maybe it's too boring? But then he complains, sometimes, that it's too hard for him and that he is frustrated because he doesn't get it (or maybe is it really just because he doesn't want to do it?).
Maybe I am too tough on him? I mean after all, he is just five and a half! Am I expecting too much?

I am even changing things, like having him choose which subject he wants to do next, or if he wants to do school in Pjs or getting dressed first. We are going outside for school.

And sometimes, we do it in sessions, one in the morning, if we have to leave and go somewhere like co-op or prayer meeting at church (yes, this outing is more for Mami!), and finish our work in the afternoon. He seems to do alot better in the afternoon..... but I am so unwilling to wait all day to do school in the afternoon. I mean if he was going to a regular school, he would have no choice but go when the school is open. Right?

So this first year, so far, has been so much more challenging than I imagined it would be..... school is not foreign in our house, we have been doing 'stuff' for the past two and a half years. But I guess when there is more seriousness behind it all, for him and for me, it's different. And less fun!?

There is one thing that did surprise me. And it's only been happening for the past one or two months. Peanut has been sitting with us every single day.  She pulls out 'her' (Coqui's old) school books, and starts drawing in them. Well, at first, it was only scribbles, but today, today she was doing shapes and glued them to her paper. She starts recognizing letters and numbers. (While she is able to count to 12 for a while, and sing the ABCs.) And all this, without me teaching her - she is just picking it up from listening. This is super cool and exciting.

I am about to order our curriculum for next year, and I do wonder just a tiny bit if I should do it.... I probably will go ahead and order it, just because I am (German-ly) stubborn.... God has confirmed to me that I am suppose to homeschool, and I haven't gotten anything yet that I should stop. So I hope and pray that this is just a phase and that these little bumps will disappear just like they appeared. Kids go through phases like changing clothes sizes - this will pass. I do have that peace (as frustrating as it seems right now). I am determined to try for at least one more year......

Stay tuned because I will keep you posted on how our year will finish.

A Garden For Everyone

Good morning everyone,
I hope you have a blessed Sunday. I wanted to share this devotional that I received yesterday - it's awesome!

The Lord will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame.  You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.  
(Isaiah 58:11 NIV)
Though this is a great verse that immediately became a part of my declarations, I am excited about what follows now. I don't have a green thumb - even though my favorite color is green, and my favorite season is spring - I tend to 'kill' most plants that are under my care.
That's why I am so excited about this type of garden that God wants us to plant anywhere or at anytime of the year - it doesn't have to be spring.  And God is meeting us wherever we are, so I hope you will enjoy this special
garden as much as I did when I read it yesterday. 
Here are the instructions for planting it:

Plant Three Rows Of Peas  -  For The Garden Of Your Daily Living:
     1. PEACE Of Mind
     2. PEACE Of Heart
     3. PEACE Of Soul

Plant Four Rows Of Squash:
     1. Squash gossip
     2. Squash indifference
     3. Squash grumbling
     4. Squash selfishness

Plant Four Rows Of Lettuce;
     1. Lettuce be faithful
     2. Lettuce be kind
     3. Lettuce be patient
     4. Lettuce really love one another

Now No Garden Should Be Without Turnips - so Plant 3 Rows Of Turnips;
     1. Turnip for meetings
     2. Turnip for service
     3. Turnip to help one another

Finally, Your Garden Must Have Thyme;
     1. Thyme for each other
     2. Thyme for family
     3. Thyme for friends
     4. Thyme for prayer
 
Water Freely With Patience and Cultivate With LOVE.

There should be much fruit in your garden, after all "We Reap What We Sow."  Therefore "Happy Gardening," everyone.
Amen.