Johnny says...........

"I don't care if it does rain, I'm not wearing this!"







"Did I do something wrong?"
"This feels like punishment!"

Bountiful Harvest?

We planted several vegetables from seeds earlier this year and have waited patiently for harvest. What you see is probably all we will get except for the tomatoes which are plentiful.
We are looking forward to eating our harvest of 3 carrots, 6 green onions, 1 zucchini, and a handful of tomatoes with our Sunday dinner in a little while.

Debbie's Christmas Tree

There is a family story behind this pine tree growing in Steckel Park, outside Santa Paula. Many years ago Debbie brought home a little Christmas Tree from work, it was a few inches high, as time went on the tree got bigger and bigger and dad replanted it to an outside planter and it grew and grew. It soon was outgrowing the planter with nowhere to go. About that time there was a severe fire between Ojai and Santa Paula (about 20 years ago) and it burned out quite a bit of Steckel Park. Dad then took the pine tree to Steckel Park and planted it there. I had not been there to look at it in many years, Travis and I went there today and snapped this picture. Debbie, your little tree sure makes a big impression now!!

Below are some other pictures from today, we went on up to Rose Valley where Travis read at a a stop we made at the Sespe trail head (left) the little creek coming down at the side of the road (middle left) the falls above the Rose Valley lakes was almost dry (middle right) the big, amazing boulders in the mountains at Sespe creekhead (right).

Dad Looking Good

What else would you expect from this feisty scrapper!
After 17 days in the hospital, dad got to come home with us on Sunday. He is doing really well, almost back to normal.
I thought you all would enjoy seeing a picture of him, king of the house, perched

in the recliner, reading the paper, pretty soon he will be snoring, same ol same ol! We will all go for a walk outside pretty soon, Doctors orders.
Dad sure does cherish all the
prayers on his behalf and we are thankful for his
speedy recovery.

Psalm 69:30 I will praise the name of God with a song, And will magnify Him with thanksgiving.

Tired and resting after our walk.

Bob's Bungalow

Bungalow Bound By Bended Borders, Bob Boldly Bounced Beside Big Bayou.
Bark and Boulders Beyond Belief, Basking Below Brilliant Beams of Brightness.
Brutish and Bold Bob Boomed his Big Bullhorn, Begging for Brunch Before the Blessing.

Well anyway, this is Bob the Frog's new habitat, courtesy of the new pet store uptown. They were getting rid of the plastic crate and thought it would be great for Bob, the price was right so we took it and some meal worms too.

Challenge yourself and find Bob in the new habitat! Yes he is visible, think small, but not minuscule! Click on the picture to get a larger view. Post a comment if you find him.

A TIME OF REFLECTION

CREATION CALLS - ARE YOU LISTENING?

Romans1:19-20

Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

A Time Of Reflection
Each year as Easter draws near we prepare for the celebration of the resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ. The Sunday services in the weeks preceding Easter are usually filled with messages of the suffering Jesus endured in order to secure our salvation, culminating in an evangelistic message, lifting our spirits with faith in the completed work of Jesus Christ in his death, burial and resurrection.

This year more than any other I can remember, my thoughts turned again and again to the grueling death He suffered. With each morbid reflection I became more and more burdened. The wrenching betrayal, the hateful personal insults and ridicule, questionings beyond understanding, Pilate's "No fault in this man" verdict that incomprehensibly resulted in a death sentence, the physical torture suffered with each striking blow, the slow torment of crucifixion until death.

The evening service message was called "Learning to do what you don't want to do." It's focus was on Jesus' prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. Seem an unlikely message to reveal an even more tragic event?

Knowing in advance the events that are about to unfold, Jesus prayerfully asks God to "Let this cup pass from me". It was the terrible surrender of death he was asking to be released from, wasn't it?

Those final moments on the cross when Jesus cried "MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME", not because he was physically suffering, but because for that moment of time when Jesus took on all our sins, securing our salvation, he experienced the wrath of God. For that moment in time Jesus was completely severed from God.

I thought my heart was about to stop! How could I have never known that before?

Jesus, completely God and completely man, experienced complete abandonment in that moment, more terrifying than death, total despair!

Fear: Separation from God!

No fear in suffering, death!

2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Bob the Frog!

This is our new frog, Travis named him Bob, we found him 2 weeks ago and made him a home with rocks and bark and a pond, he really likes the pond, but I'm not sure he likes the food.
We have been feeding him some yummy canned cat food, and he seems to be growing and living, but maybe just barely. I understand that frogs eat bugs like crickets and aphids and things, but I don't think any live bugs would stay in our home made frog home. I wonder if he would like those freeze dried worms or those frozen things you feed beta fish. We will go to the pet store tomorrow and see what they think, but they will probably tell us to get a real frog aquarium and real frog food, so then we may have to let Bob go live in our garden or Susan's catfish pond, if he didn't look so much like good catfish food. The picture on the left is about the actual size of the frog, about 1 1/2", so he or she is still very young.