reality blog

What’s Happening At the Vicarage This Week 6-26-24

/ joseph elon lillie / Leave a comment

Today is my sabbath. I started the morning by drinking mint tea from my garden in the outdoor prayer chapel during Prime.

I have a pretty long to do list that I have compiled over the last week. I will probably get some of it done today, but it is Sabbath so a relaxed rhythm is in order.

Join me in my walk around the Vicarage gardens.

The day lilies are in full bloom now.

So is the giant hosta.

I love the delicate flowers of the lady’s mantle.

The fleabane is also in full bloom. These tiny white flowers on 3 foot stocks attract lots of pollinators to the garden. So many people pull these out of their gardens considering them weeds, but I love how they fill out space around the yard and bring in the bees.

The whole yard is filled with the scent of honeysuckle. It is really strong this year. I can smell it no matter where I am on the property.

This year the forest garden is attracting a large number of birds.

I have to pick up more suet for the feeders today. We have five or six hungry woodpeckers that are hanging around.

I have also set up an extra hummingbird feeder. I have a larger than average population of hummingbirds and they are constantly warring over the one feeder I usually put up. The second feeder seems to have solved the problem.

My Sabbath day is going to be filled with prayer and gardening and cleaning.

How are you going to spend your day?

SHARE YOUR WORLD FROM JUNE 17, 2024

/ joseph elon lillie / 5 Comments

THIS POST IS WRITTEN IN RESPONSE TO THIS WEEK’S SHARE YOUR WORLD CHALLENGE. CHECK IT OUT!

HERE ARE THE QUESTIONS AND MY ANSWERS:

 If you are feeling below par and a bit down, how do you lift your spirits?

I try to take extra time to pray when my spirit is challenged and weighed down. Time spent with God always helps me.

Do you believe that laughter is the best medicine?

Yes. That is even Scriptural. “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” Proverbs 17:22

What makes you smile?

My family makes me smile. Seeing progress at the work on The Vicarage also makes me smile. The church coming together to fulfill God’s mission also makes me smile. Oh! and the ocean…the ocean makes me smile. Summer…Summer also makes me smile…..

Do you have a ‘comfort’ food.

Cheesecake is my comfort food. Pizza is my comfort food….Macaroni and cheese, yes macaroni and cheese is my comfort food. Unless there is ice cream, then ice cream is my comfort food…..Oh wait….Fried chicken. I feel like my answers are taking on a format.

I HOPE YOUR WEEK HAS BEEN BLESSED. MINE SURELY HAS BEEN.

TIME SPENT WITH FAMILY
TIME SPENT WITH FAMILY
TIME SPENT WITH FAMILY
A WEEKEND OF CELEBRATIONS

What’s New At the Vicarage This Week June 19, 2024

/ joseph elon lillie / Leave a comment

We are heading into peak blooming season here at the Vicarage.



The day lilies are beginning to open
The Lupine is going by, but still looks and smells beautiful
The Daisy garden is in full bloom
The tomatoes have started to flower and my herb garden has sprouted. I have cilantro, dill, parsley, chamomile, and thyme. I also have apple mint spearmint Greek and Italian oregano and lemon balm.

Of course, the Vicarage is a forest garden, a very old forest garden and as I walk about it this yearI am learning more about those who originally planted this small but very wild space.

The property is filled with liguster sometimes called Japansk. I’ve always called it honeysuckle because it smells so sweet, but it is actually a fragrant tree imported from Asia.
We also have Walters Dogwood growing wild all over the property. It is a native of Korea.

At some point, somebody had a lot of Asian plants put onto the property. I am thankful because these plants add a wonderful fragrance to the garden.

We are also getting ready to add chickens to the Vicarage. my daughter-in-law is just putting on the final coats of sealant to the coop

I have yet to clear space for the coop. We have decided that a stand of sumac is going to be taken down to make space for our new residents.

What’s happening in your world?

PREPARE YOUR LOVE PT. 2

/ joseph elon lillie / Leave a comment

This year our church has been given a congregational sentence that comes through the many prophetic words which have been spoken to us over the last year or so. That sentence says: “Prepare! Prepare! Prepare! Prepare you Spirit (come out of the decay of your strongholds). Prepare your Souls(Prepare to practice and feel compassion). Prepare your facility (your structures, infrastructures and plans). Prepare for the storm (Pray for action plan, Pray for a spirit of perseverance). Prepare your witness (know your gifts, earn the right to speak, build your relationships with those outside the church, build your example). Prepare your hope and faith (think hope, speak hope, act in hope). Prepare your love (love each other, love the people in your towns, love those who disagree with you, love through the doors that open).“

seven prepare statements will be broken down into three brief devotionals a piece to give us 21 devotionals to share over 21 weeks.

TODAY IS DAY 20- Prepare your love (love each other, love the people in your towns, love those who disagree with you, love through the doors that open.

Photo by Liza Summer on Pexels.com

Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor[a] and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:43-48

We are being called to prepare to love those who disagree with us. I will be the first to point out that just because a person disagrees with us on something, that does not necessarily make them our enemy. But in our hyper-tribalized society, we are quickly becoming a people who view it that way. In fact we are raising up a generation that thinks that in order to love someone you must agree with and accept everything they think. That, of course is not the truth. Love is something that flows through agreement or disagreement equally well, because it is not based in our comfort, logic, emotion, or will. It moves through those things but it is based in and flows from the Spirit.

WHO ARE YOU TRYING TO LOVE THROUGH A DISAGREEMENT WITH RIGHT NOW? PRAY FOR THEM? WHAT GROUP DO YOU HAVE THE GREATEST DISAGREEMENT WITH RIGHT NOW? PRAY FOR THEM.