Serenity Garden at Iris Park

All Together Now: Shine!

2011-09-22T00:15:00.011-05:00

Greetings, Readers! All 3 of you!

I know that I've been more like a lazy crawly caterpillar in my garden blog than the beautiful butterfly that I would like to be. It's just been toooooo hot to even think about gardening. The beach is the only outside place I've wanted to be all summer. But the cooler days are starting to call me back to the dirt, and I can feel the sap starting to rise in my feet. So, hopefully we can soon do some more cultivating of our little piece of Paradise in the 'hood.

I've also been on Pause in my word-processing endeavors. Even thinking about writing a book is hard work! But that too is beginning to sprout inside my mind, growing its way out to my fingertips. Soon, the vine of my calling will also begin to bud and bloom and bear fruit.

In the meantime, I would like to share an email I wrote to Pastor Sandy back in July. It's not about gardening. It's about ALL of US.

Hi, Pastor,

Just thought I would share this with you.

I couldn't believe it when I saw the disco ball twirling in the corner of the slide during your sermon this Sunday! What a great object lesson! That's one of the first visions God gave me years ago of the Body of Christ and of every one of us being important and necessary. And that it's our different points of view (angles of reflection) that make us each unique and essential to the whole.

My main prayers are always: "God, show me." He showed me that each piece of a mirror-ball reflects at a unique angle in its journey around the room, each trajectory a different unique path, each shining to different unique spots. And every piece has several adjacent pieces that are so close that they're touching. But their paths are not the same, each arc of reflection just a tiny bit different. Very close, very similar, but slightly different. Different enough for all to be essential.

Each angle, each point of view, is vital to the whole. The ones on the total opposite side of the disco ball (those with a totally opposite point of view) are just as essential in order to fill the whole room (or world) with reflections of the Light. God needs us each to be where we are, reflecting God, so that the whole revelation is revealed all over.

Later, God showed me that the disco ball's limitations are that it can only reflect the Light. What the Body of Christ is really like is a huge prism. Same set up, as far as unique angles for each tiny facet. But this time the Light isn't being reflected from without, but is shining through, from within. And not only does each facet need to be exactly where it is to fulfill its unique role, it needs to be clean and transparent (not dark or blocking its light with sin or shame) so that the Light can shine through every angle and make spectrums (baby rainbows!) everywhere!

I LOVE rainbows! And prisms!

Let there be light! Light made up of the whole spectrum. Light shining God's love in every color of the rainbow of life, to every unique person in the world. We each have our own purpose and position and are every one as essential as any other. That is so amazing to me! God made every person because we need every person right where they are for the Whole to be complete.

That's why I love the disco ball and why I have a rainbow window sticker on my car: CELEBRATE DIVERSITY! God does! We can.

Thanks for letting me share...

Love, Katy

Want to be appreciated? Be a volunteer!

2011-05-17T10:22:00.009-05:00

Seems like everyone's looking for volunteers. I know God always is. And right now so am I. If you can work a garden hose, you can volunteer to help out in Iris Park! Because I work for myself and am dependent on God to send me appointments and/or appropriate outside-working weather, it's hard to say ahead of time when I'll be out there digging or weeding or watering. If you'd like to be added to my "to be called" list, simply comment to this post, and I'll let you know (when I know) what needs to be done.

One of my favorite things about being out in our beautiful Iris Park is that as time goes by, I've been able to identify different "volunteer" plants that are already established in that environment. The area surrounding Serenity Prayer Park (past the fountain and near the swing) was once the yards of two older ladies who obviously loved flowers as much as I do. Their porch foundations are still there. Unfortunately, many of their perennials were bulldozed rather than saved. Because our team has been very diligent at keeping the grounds mowed, some of the surviving "volunteers" had been mowed down and are just now starting to grow. We can appreciate their tenacity and perseverance, as well as their beauty.

This garden is not as easy to maintain as a home garden is, because no one is there everyday. So mostly I've endeavored to only have plants that don't need much human care and can cope with the conditions of heat and drought that we often experience in Pensacola. The volunteer plants have already proven their heat/cold hardiness.

I'm making plans right now to spend most of the day out there tomorrow (10-3, Wed., 5/18) because the weather man says that will be a cool, low-humidity day. In other words, perfect yardwork weather -- and probably the last of its kind for a while. I intend to get the donated plants in the ground (Easter lilies and blueberries), some more vincas planted (They love the heat!), and everything watered and mulched. (We could use more clean bagged leaves, but NOT live oak or magnolia leaves!) If you want to join me, come on! Volunteer! You will be very appreciated! My cell # is 850-375-0693.

Plant Your Seeds Wisely

2011-04-07T13:47:00.005-05:00

This Saturday will be a work day at Holy Cross. I'm really looking forward to getting to dig in the dirt and to hang out with my brothers and sisters at the same time. One of the tasks I hope to work on this weekend is the planting of flower seeds in the area around the fountain. (Many thanks to Becca for repairing the fountain's pump!)

Sometimes the hardest thing about gardening is deciding what to plant and where to plant it. Some flowers are already blooming in the four corners, bulbs and cold-hardy flowers that were planted last fall. Those were a natural choice. The plants were the only ones that would survive the winter cold and then bloom early once the freezing temperatures were over. Someone in the church donated the bulbs -- our first ever irises to bloom in Iris Park! Bulbs are so easy because the work they require is minimal and is done in the coolness of autumn. They will also continue to multiply year after year, with little to no care besides a little bit of fertilizer.

If you've ever gardened, you know that the really hardest part is getting the soil ready. Last year we took a shortcut and planted wildflowers around the fountain without getting all of the weeds removed first. Sure enough, the blossoms were beautiful, but were soon crowded out by the less beautiful, but easier to grow, weeds. The biggest problem with weeds is that they have a tendency to take over. So in our new flower garden area, they will have to go. To do that right, they must be pulled up by their roots, which sometimes dig down deep or run rampantly in every direction. That will be my biggest job this Saturday. If you have any aggression you need to get out, you're welcome to come destroy some weeds with me.

Since it inception, Iris Park has been slowly evolving and will one day be a wonderfully diverse environment for our enjoyment. Lack of volunteer labor and available funds have taught us to be more efficient and to plant wisely. I've learned to only plant things that need very little human care and to opt for seeds rather than plants.

This Saturday I hope to get the circular fountain area weeded and then seeded with flowers that will bloom all through the heat of the summer. It will take a little time to see the results of our labor, but isn't that the way it often is with life?

Encouragement -- You Talkin' to Me?

2011-03-09T13:07:00.010-06:00

The end of winter is upon us, and the main work in the garden right now is figuring out what all has made it through the hard winter, and what to do to encourage them to not only survive but to actually thrive. For some plants that has meant transplanting to a new, more nurturing location. For some that meant cutting off its dead wood, pulling up the weeds at its feet, and giving another layer of mulch to keep it from drying out later this summer. For some that has meant to do nothing but talk to them and tell them how much I appreciate their existence.

That's pretty much how we need to treat people, too. Through the years, I've learned is that you usually see what you're looking for; but you often hear the loudest what you don't want to hear, or what you hope isn't true.

One thing I am growing acutely aware of is the power of our words, especially our spoken words. God's Word says, "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." People can actually hear your heart speak through your words. So: What's been coming out of your heart? It also says, "Your words produce life, or your words produce death. It's your choice." Another thing I'm starting to learn about is the reality of choice. We always have a choice.

I've heard that people will sometimes remember what you did, often remember what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel. How are your words making people feel? But I'm just saying what I think is the truth, you say. But how are you making them feel?

Encouragement is often a precious commodity these days, as everyone seems to want to save their praises for perfection. In the meantime, criticism is abundant. You shouldn't have done it that way, implies: You should've done it my way. You didn't do it good enough implies: I could've done it better.

News break! Everybody's doing the best they can with what they've got at the time. If you think they can do better, rather than criticize their performance, encourage their efforts. If they can't do better, at least appreciate their risk of embarrassment from your disapproval.

Paul said to speak "only what is helpful for building others up... that it may benefit those who listen." Jesus said, "By your words, you will be justified... or condemned." It's your choice.

A clear guide for helpful speaking:

Before you say anything, ask yourself these 3 questions:

Is it true? (in God's eyes and not just your or someone else's personal opinion)
Is it necessary? (and not just to hear yourself talk or to impress others with how much you think you know)
Is it kind? (how does it make them feel)

I have a collection of Katy-isms that I've gathered over the years. One of them is: What someone says about you says more about them, than it says about you. That's hard to remember sometimes, but it sure can make you feel better if someone has hurt your feelings.

I want to say to all the plants in our little garden and to all the readers of my little blog: Thank you for being there! Spring is just around the corner!

Get 'er done!

2011-02-10T22:42:00.003-06:00

Sometimes you've just got to knuckle down and do what you've gotta do to get 'er done. I get ideas and make plans and imagine fabulous outcomes, but all too often that's as far as I get. Thus it has been lately with Serenity Garden and with this blog. It's hard to get excited about creating a park that few visit or writing a blog that no one reads. (So if you're reading this, let me know!)

The problem is that sometimes the work that needs to be done just isn't fun and certainly won't show any immediate results. Especially this time of year, when it's just too cold to be outside. I'm happy to curl up inside where it's nice and warm. Still, I do long for the winter clouds to break and Springtime's warmth to spur me into action. But there are things that could be done now, even if it means bundling up to work in the cold. Dormant plants need to be transplanted. Manure worked in now would add to next year's growth.

My energy level is like the earth's. Nothing seems to be happening; the garden appears to be dead. But underneath the surface, life is already starting to spring forth again. Bulbs have sent up spears of green to capture the power of the winter sun and transform its sparse energy into beautiful lilies eager to display their resurrection. But I know those beautiful flowers only live because someone at sometime did the work required to plant them.

You can't reap what has not been planted. You can't read what has not been written.

How often I have longed for homegrown produce, but I haven't done the work required to earn a harvest. Or envied someone else's beautiful flower garden long after it was too late to get mine in the ground. Or had a creative, inspiring idea, but failed to write it down.

My spirit, like those bulbs, is stirring under the surface. Ideas churning. Plans developing. The soil is getting ready to receive the seed and to bring forth a harvest.

From Hugh Prather in Notes to Myself: "If the desire to write is not accompanied by actual writing, then the desire is not to write." My desire is to write. And to create a beautiful prayer garden. Both to share.

So I make a comittment to do what needs to be done and get 'er done!

Time Flies When You're Having a Good Time

2011-01-01T01:02:00.004-06:00

I can't believe another whole year has come and gone! I sit here at 1 a.m. on 1-1-11, as my coffee buzz begins to fade, the echoing sounds of exploding money are starting to slow down and beginning to recede into the past. It's already tomorrow -- a new day and a new year.

I had a busy last year and am happy to have survived it. Although my intentions far outweighed my efforts, at this time of my life, even something as simple as enjoying another year of good health feels like an accomplishment. What amazes me the most about getting old is that so many things seem to require just too much mental energy to deal with on any kind of regular basis. And my physical energy definitely has to be rationed so I can still participate in activities I can enjoy.

Serenity Garden has taken on a character of its own in my absence. Several perennial plants that had been mowed down the last few years, in our eagerness to claim our new property, have started showing up as loyal volunteers. A few new human volunteers are also showing up. And I am grateful for both. Apparently God still has people with the resources we need all lined up to help us at the right time for God's glory.

I resolve to blog more this year than I did in 2010. (That was an easy one: I already have!)

To everything there is a season...

2009-12-31T20:06:00.012-06:00

It seems that winter jumped on us suddenly this year in Pensacola. Must be because the dog days of summer lasted well into fall. One day it was a beautiful beach day; the next I'm snuggling down under the electric blanket.

In Ecclesiastes 3, Solomon said, "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to sow and a time to reap." Such times are obvious in a garden. But they are also true in our lives. Of course, we know we are all born and we all die. But we also sow and then we reap.

Verse 4 continues, "A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance." Sometimes we may feel like all we're doing is weeping and mourning over some loss. But things will always turn around. We will laugh again. We will dance again.

I used to think that a person's life is like the seasons. Childhood and adolescence are like Spring, with rapid growth abounding. The 20s and 30s are Summertime, full of focused activity alternating with fun-filled lazy days. The 40s and 50s are like Autumn, full of harvest celebrations and hayrides in your lover's arms. And then comes the Winter, where we just wither and fade until we die. Now that I'm approaching 60, I want to move the boundaries a little to the right. I don't want to think that my days of production and fun are nearly over.

Maybe life is a little like that. But maybe we're more like the garden, with all of those things cycling around over and over again. Every year what has been previously planted grows green and lush. Then comes the time to focus on warmth and fun, while keeping an eye out for weeds that need pulling. Next the days of Autumn require the work of harvest, whether of good fruit or the clean-up of weeds and thistles. And Winter is a time to rest and reflect, replenish the soil of our hearts, prune what we want more of, and to decide what we want to plant for the next go round.

I know I've had a season of weeping and mourning the things that didn't work out the way I wanted. Now I'm planning for a harvest of laughter and dancing. It's time to get my bulbs in the ground. What are you planting?

Spending Christmas and New Years in snowy Boise, Idaho, has given me not only a new appreciation of living in Paradise, but an awareness of how incredibly beautiful Winter can be.

Doesn't look much like a garden to me either!

2009-08-20T23:14:00.003-05:00

I admit that I've been ignoring my child. Last Spring, I helped birth the Serenity Garden part of Iris Park. In case you've never been there, it's pretty much the area past the fountain, under the two huge live oak trees, way off to the right when you're walking from the church to the admin building. It's safe to say that it's definitely off the beaten path.

A small handful of church members spent many days digging, planting, watering, weeding, and mowing the area for several months. While the weather was welcoming, I worked out there many days until sunset, which was often awesome across our field. Serenity was a natural name for the flower garden area. One day, I even saw a double rainbow arching over the church building! It was an incredible work of art that only God could do! I took several pictures of it with my cell phone, and as soon as I can figure out how to transfer them to my computer, I'll email them out.

Alas, for the last few months it's been too hot to spend much time out there. Other things have captured our attention for now. The neglect is apparent -- the sunflowers have lost their color, with nothing left of them but bird seed. Some of the tender annuals have withered. At least I'm learning what not to even try to grow. No more impatiens! (Pun intended.) The survivors, and amazingly even some thrivors (is that a word?), have received what they need from the hand of God rather than from a human gardner.

But I know the weather will soon enough be cool and the outdoor work inviting. Again I'll be able to walk with the Lord in the cool of the day in a garden that we are co-creating. You know, my life is a lot like that little garden.

Whose weeds are you pulling?

2009-08-16T12:38:00.003-05:00

One of the first lessons that God taught me in the garden was probably 20 years ago. After a time of moving around, I had a cute little rent house in Podunk where I had a chance to plant some veggies.

One day I was babysitting a friend's kids. While Austin and Michael played GI Joe or some other guy thing, 5-year-old Crystal and I decided to work in the garden. My goal was to get a start on pulling weeds, and she was eager to help.

After we'd worked side by side for a while, I noticed that Crystal had moved to a new section of the garden and was busily pulling up some tiny weeds that were curiously growing in a row. She was proud that she was doing a great job as a helper. Suddenly I realized that she had pulled up nearly all of the tiny carrot sprouts! I knew it was my fault because I had failed to point out what was NOT weeds.

The Lord then told me, "Katy, that's what happens when some of my children get overly eager to 'help' in other people's lives. Often only the Master Gardener can tell the weeds from the sprouts." I've tried to remember that lesson whenever I want to help someone else clean up their act. Sometimes what looks like a weed to me might actually be a sprout of growth that I don't recognize.

So when you help others tend to their "gardens", leave the "weed-pulling" for the One Who Knows.

Learning Curve

2009-08-07T22:18:00.005-05:00

I don't know about you, but I can feel like a total idiot when I try to learn something new. Something that is so simple to someone else can completely mystify me. That's one reason we need each other. Each of us is given particular gifts.

Unlike many of my friends, I can plant things and they usually grow. I learned most of what I know about plants by asking for advice from those who know, then through trial and error, mostly by just digging in and getting my hands dirty.

Now I'm learning how to blog by pretty much the same method. It ain't as easy as it looks, but probably not as hard as I'm making it either. Thank God Donna is patient!

Church Grounds Maintenance

2009-08-06T20:44:00.004-05:00

The Board of Trustees will hold a yard cleanup on Saturday, August 29 from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. Bring yard tools, lawn mowers, weed eaters and help us get the yard ready for Friendship Sunday. Your help is greatly appreciated. See Robert Bellanova for more information.