Life's Guarantees

I was bitten by my first mosquito this week.

Summer has officially started around here. (At least from my egocentric perspective)

We are planting flowers today. (Because summer has now officially started. You know how I know? I was bitten by a mosquito this week...wow, I feel like I've said this before.) Now, some of you might think that it is a bit late to plant flowers, but you perhaps you have not grown up in a small, high-elevation town. There's one way to distinguish the town locals versus the town "transplants" - when folks plant their flowers. Those who have lived here for most of their lives understand that you don't plant until June unless you are a masochist and like to watch your flowers die in the inevitable May snowfall. The newer members of our town just can't resist the first glimpses of summer and don't seem to notice the all-knowing smugness of the locals who watch the planting from afar.

Anyways, we're planting flowers. I do not have a green thumb at all. But I do have the local status down around here, and I also have a hubby who wired me a fantastic drip system. There's still no guarantees around here, of course. Like I said, no green thumb. I could kill the flowers just by looking at them the wrong way. Or it could snow in July. No guarantees.

But when are there guarantees in life?

There are a few, now that I think of it.

The guarantee of newness - each Spring, each morning, God's mercies each day.

The guarantee of riches - not earthly ones necessarily but the riches of His grace, the riches of our inheritance as His children (Ephesians 1).

The guarantee of hardships, but also the guarantee of growth - not always pleasant, but necessary for us.

The guarantee of His presence (Is. 51:12), His strength (Is. 41:10), His listening ear (Ps. 34;15), His forgiveness (Jer. 31:34) and His love (1 John 3:1).

The guarantee of His Life flowing through us (John 7).

The guarantee of our lives hidden in Him (Col. 3:3).

I hope your weekend is full of life, especially His Life that holds it all together.

Resting in life and His Life,
Karen

• For those teachers or homeschoolers out there, here's a free presidential timeline poster that will come in the mail...free. Check it out!
• Speaking of free stuff, if you have a Regal Cinema near you, check out their free children's movies offered all summer. Our small town doesn't have one, but maybe you'll have better luck at landing a free movie or two.
  
• I do not have a crafty bone in my body, which means I'm still undecided on this virtual 30-Day Craft Camp for Kids - either it's going to ruin my summer or it's going to make it much more fun...jury's still out on this, but even I must admit this gal has some great ideas for hot summer days.
  
• Real Gil's family is from a small Amish town in Indiana. It's a beautiful place with an incredible amount of horse poop. The Amish folks themselves may say they live a simple life, but I find them to be complex, and interesting. Not too long ago, I read some research that suggested that rates of anorexia are much higher among Amish women. Doesn't that surprise you? The researchers think the reason why anorexia is higher is because the Amish don't believe in birth control. So, if you have eight children and are not ready for another baby, you starve yourself and stop having a period. Would you have ever thought of putting the words Amish and anorexia together? Other changes are cropping up among the Amish as well. This article is a review of a newly published book on the changing look of the Amish.
• Struggling with insecurity? One female college professor's observations were encouraging to me, and perhaps you too.
  
• Having moved to Nashville for three years from out West, we were shocked by folks' first questions - where are y'all from, and secondly, where are you goin' to church on Sunday? Whu?! The South treated us wonderfully, and this humorous article made me miss it all over again. Get ready to laugh.
• But nothing is funnier than this Swagger Wagon video. Have you seen it yet? (Thanks to Heather to pointing it out to me.) Hilarious. I'm proudly driving my mini-van today...with a little swagger. I just might have to get me some shiny hubcaps...