This month, I’m joining Share Four Somethings in 2022. Share Four Somethings has four categories for reflection: something loved, something gleaned, something braved, and something achieved.
Heather’s premise is that if we reflect on our month, we gain perspective on areas of growth. This fits perfectly with my One Word of the Year, intentional. I want to be intentional in remembering the Lord’s goodness each month.
Something Loved
Spring is my favorite season of the year. I enjoy the new leaves springing forth on the trees and bushes! Spring with its fresh breeze, warming weather and greening grass. I love stepping outside and spending time with the Lord in the garden.
This year, spring is bringing fresh ideas for revamping our side garden. I enjoy antique roses and have created a small garden on the side of the house with three sets of arches for climbing roses. We initially placed pea-size gravel in this area so that we wouldn’t have to weed-eat around the air conditioning unit and dove aviary, and the climbing roses made it a little “garden” area to retreat to for quiet reflection.
I have to admit that I’m enjoying re-vamping this area by adding more roses and potted annuals. It is becoming an inviting garden area to enjoy by sight and smell. I’ll share more next month as I’m in the beginning stages of garden renewal, planning, and planting.
Something Gleaned
This month, I enjoyed reading, Rosemary Verey: The Life & Lessons of a Legendary Gardener. After two world wars which included magnificent English gardens being turned into plain lawns, the English were ready for Rosemary’s gardening approach.
Rosemary leaned back in time for inspiration from bygone eras, then incorporated modern knowledge of plants with good ole’ common sense. I appreciated Rosemary’s life story and found her to be an inspiring woman in the garden (though her character issues in later years was a disappointment). I appreciated her generosity in freely sharing her knowledge, her plants, and her influence to help others in the gardening world.
I’m not interested in re-creating a high-maintenance garden which she promoted, but I found her overall philosophy of focal points and color, while drawing upon historical gardens, very inspiring. Rosemary helped me out of my garden “funk” into dreaming and planning again. My something gleaned was inspiration.
The author, Barbara Paul Robinson, states Rosemary’s influence,
“The public was ready for Rosemary’s message that anyone could have a beautiful garden and could do it themselves, just as she had. She taught lessons about plant combinations and the importance of structure, color, texture, and appealing to all the senses. She wrote in clear, lucid prose while offering know-how and practical advice [all the while] urging her audience to express themselves. With real insight, someone called her the ‘great encourager.’”1
Something Braved
My husband had eye surgery this month and the follow-up care was very intense with ice packs being changed every twenty-to-thirty minutes for several days. Caregiving is not for the faint-of-heart! He is better now, he does his own ice packs, and I’m once again writing, but the brief glimpse into caregiving brings compassion and empathy for those providing caregiving on a continuous basis.
Something Achieved
In February, I joined the 28-Day Writing Challenge which was stretching and encouraging for me as a writer. Afterwards, I was ready to REST. But the Lord invited me to journey with Him on a 30-Day personal writing challenge in March. This writing journey has been quite stretching!
I reached out to a couple of friends for prayer, and they have literally carried me through this personal writing assignment the Lord has entrusted me with this month. I’m thankful for the opportunity to journey with the Lord in writing this year. And March has been quite productive!
This verse has carried me through March’s writing process,
“Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.”2
Writing is a humbling process, so I return to Him again and again for strength and encouragement.
The Lord Bless You
Thank you for joining me in Share Four Somethings for March 2022. I look forward to hearing what you have loved, gleaned, braved and achieved this month – either in your post or in the comments below.
My prayer is for the Lord to bless you,
“The Lord bless you, and keep you [protect you, sustain you, and guard you]; the Lord make His face shine upon you [with favor], and be gracious to you [surrounding you with lovingkindness]; the Lord lift up His countenance (face) upon you [with divine approval], and give you peace [a tranquil heart and life].”3
Recommendation:
6 Spring Bible Verses on God’s Provision 6 Spring Bible Verses on God’s Provision – Strength with Dignity
References:
1 Robinson, Barbara Paul. Rosemary Verey: The Life & Lessons of a Legendary Gardener. Published by David R. Godine, 2012.
2 Colossians 3:23-24 NASB
3 Numbers 6:24-26 AMP
Amplified Bible (AMP) Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible 1995 (NASB 1995), copyright 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.
Bible Gateway Blogger Grid Member #bgbg2 #BibleGateway
I’m linking up with the Share Four Somethings community through the linkup found here: HeatherGerwing.com #sharefoursomethings
16 thoughts on “Share Four Somethings March 2022”
Lisa, I LOVE all of your Four Somethings! As you know, Autumn is my favorite season, but spring is a solid second and I am truly enjoying getting re-acquainted with its beauty. Rosemary’s book on gardening has my interest, I’ll be checking that out soon! So sorry to hear about your husband’s surgery, I do hope he is healing well by now. Great job on caregiving-I won’t bore you with all of my forays into that arena, but they are many, including giving valium injections to my dog & removing my own stitches! And I cannot congratulate you enough on completing the 28 day writing challenge! Your writing excelled during that time, and I started to see you peek out from behind the information, what a treasure!
Oh, my goodness! Removing your own stitches; you are a brave woman! Thanks for the encouragement in writing, Donna. Yes, I was quite intimidated when I first began writing last year, but the Lord was kind enough to lead me in the study of His Word and to give me a firm foundation to build upon in the future. With the solid foundation of His Word, I’m feeling free enough to be a little more expressive in my writing these days.
Good luck with the garden. We have daylilies out front, which I love, but every time I think about a garden I decide I don’t want something else to keep up with. I hope your husband’s eye heals soon!
Thanks, Cindy! I’m actually having a lot of fun planning the garden, and I know you are enjoying your daylilies.
It seems like the month was a full one. Eye surgeries can be tricky. And yes, caregiving requires a lot of time, sacrifice, and compassion. I am finding as exhausting as it can be at times, there is a deep satisfaction in knowing I have cared for others in ways which has eased their discomfort. Have fun with your garden and I hope you share some photos 🙂
You’re right, Joanne, there is a deep satisfaction in caring for others and easing their discomfort.
So glad to have you at Share Four Somethings! I am excited for Spring too! Also, way to go on both of your writing challenges!!
It’s a joy to join your group, Heather. Thank you for hosting!
Lisa, I enjoyed reading your March edition of Share Four Somethings.
Thanks, Paula!
You have had quite a month.
I will pray for your husband’s healing and bountiful gardens this summer! I look forward to seeing pictures of those roses!
Thank you, Barb! I appreciate your prayers for my husband and your encouragement for my garden. Tomorrow, my son is going to help me by digging holes for the new roses.
My husband will retire in a couple months and he is committing to redoing some of our flower beds. I’m excited about that. I usually have energy for it in early spring, but then I fade away as the heat comes in. 😉
Glad your husband is better and that you were able to be a consistent nurse. It sounds like an intense recovery process!
I’m praying for a smooth transition for you and your husband as he comes home, and you enter into a new season of your journey together. Oh, that will be wonderful! You can think and plan and dream, then have him implement the new flower beds or just turn it all over to him, depending on how involved you want to be. I look forward to seeing what you do in your re-vamping of the flower beds. Yes, it has been a very intense recovery process with his eyes!
I’m so sorry about your husband’s eye surgery! Caregiving is a joy and a trial at the same time ;). Your garden areas sound lovely. I’m glad the Write28Days challenge inspired you to try another challenge!
You’re right, Anita, caregiving is a joy and trial at the same time! Yes, the Write28Days Challenge was a good experience, thank you again for hosting it!