backyard miracles

i went to a craft show a few weeks ago.  before i went i had the thought "way to go Janet!  way to support local artists!"  i've been to this show once before and loved it.  it's held in this old warehouse in what looks to be the middle of nowhere (in the middle of a city) and i think it's organized by a local screen printers guild that actually works in some other section of the building.  anyways, beautiful stuff.
i found my new favourite pair of earrings there for five dollars.  yes!  you read that right.  they are angel wings, made of something silvery.  they make me feel like i have a tattoo hanging from my ears and they make me think of my beautiful friend Cheri, and they're long enough that when i move my head quickly they tap my neck.  tap tap tap go my angel wings. 
today i wore them (again) and was in Rona when the cashier said to me (cue troubling music)
her: 'oh, i totally have those exact earrings.  did you get them in a make-your-own-earrings set?'
me: 'no, i actually bought them at a local craft fair' (at this point i think she must be mistaken)
her: 'oh, cause i bought one of those kits and they have the same pair in them'
me:  'well, i probably paid much more than you then..... five dollars'
her:  'ya, well, i paid four. 
       (hmmmm)
but, i mean, there was a whole bunch in the kit...."
       (grrrrr)
me:  'did you get the kit on-line?' (please say etsy please say etsy)
her:  'oh no, just at walmart'


you have got to be kidding me.


icing on the cake:  the girl beside her leans over and says "ya, you can totally get kits like that at Michaels".
nail in the coffin.  how many other coloqualisms can i write here? 

my angel wings have lost some angelic presence, i must confess.

on a brighter note, my husband made me a square foot garden box for mother's day this week.  i actually have a bonified garden in my bonified backyard.  i planted lettuce, spinach, mint, beets, carrots and peas this week. i feel so domestic i'm hankering for a new apron. 

there is something so pleasurable about putting a seed in the ground, covering it up, giving it some water, and watching a miracle.  i mean, there's nothing i can do but give the seed the right conditions for growth, i can't personally make it grow.  it's a beautiful reminder that God is absolutely in charge. 

i was listening to an AWESOME sermon the other day while painting.  i was painting chain mail (as in the armor not the annoying letters) and a horse, but that's another matter.  the sermon was from Brian Buhler at Pacific Community and it was on Psalm 3. 
first, let me say that i was filled with thankfulness that so many of my dear friends and Parkside sojourners now attend this church.  i pictured cori and leah and dawn and jaclyn and vanessa and jenna all sitting and hearing what i was listening to and i so wished i could have been there as well. 
my favourite part of the sermon was when Brian talked about those passages in the Psalms that we all cringe at: the inappropriate, bloodthirsty, bargaining, theologically incorrect parts.  and how he explained that these prayers are a part of our holy scriptures not so much as examples of prayers to pray, but examples of honesty in prayer.  they give us an invitation to prayer those desperate prayers that in other circumstances we would never pray.  "God, if you just....then i promise I'll....".  prayers of anger and loss and bitterness and disillusionment.  like God is saying "i can take it.  tell me how you really feel".  and then, after we've laid it all out on the table, God reminds us of his truth, his wisdom, his timing, his goodness.  something we fail to grasp when we continue to stuff our true selves behind veneers of piety.

hey, do you want to listen to it?  here it is: the transforming friendship.  it's the april 16th one.

tomorrow another backyard miracle is taking place here in saskatoon:  my husband is going to build a play set for our kids.  yes.  scott's never been a handy man before, but it's been something simmering in him somewhere - fanned by summer jobs and inspirational friends (eddie!).  we got a play set for free off kijiji which we took at first to be an incredible miracle, then found out in the midst of dismantling it that the wood was half rotted.  so, now we have half a play set (and a backyard big enough to hide it!), a neighbour with tools, and all the right elements for my husband to break out of the anderson family tradition and build!!!  i will definitely post pics when it's done.  i can hardly contain my excitement.  two things built in one week!!!

saskatoon has finally greened up, there are buds on my pear trees and tulips in neighbours gardens.  how would we ever survive without the promises of spring?  i lay on the hammock in the sun today in complete happiness, with my little boy rocking me back and forth. i think that i will meet the goodness of God many times in my backyard this year.  i pray the same for you.