Food Forest

We love our home that God has so graciously provided us. But when we moved in, the backyard needed some work.

I saw it as a blank slate that over time, we could transform into something beautiful.

The summer drought killed our glass very quickly, and we took down some trees.

Things looked bad, but then Sandy decided it was time for an immediate change.

She applied for and won the opportunity to install a Food Forest in our backyard through Benicia Community Gardens.

One day a big pile of dirt showed up.

Then a whole mess of plants and trees came.

Then all of these people started digging and tearing out stuff.

Actually, we were all involved in the process. Sandy mostly, with the boys and girl working hard too. Andrew showed off his new manhood abilities. I was the least involved since I had to take care of other family matters that weekend. Really, I wasn't slacking off!

Slowly, the backyard started to transform.

Thanks to a ton of hard working folks and a big collaborative effort, our wasteland of a backyard startedto change into a permaculture, drought resistant, water conserving, forest of food.

Thanks to the rain, things are growing.

We put in a new fence which connects us visually to the open space out back.

Hopefully, in a year or two, we may have some blueberries, pears, peaches, grapes, raspberries, goji berries, lemons, pomegranates and tangerines just to name some!

26 and 1

Last Friday, I took Andrew out to his (and my) first Golden State Warrior's game to celebrate his making the BMS 8th grade boys basketball team!

I was quite impressed with the Oracle Arena crowd as they started chanting for D-fense! at the second defensive possession. Despite being down for 3 1/2 quarters and putting us on edge for most of the game, the Warriors came storming back to continue their NBA record setting start of the season. - 26 and 1.

Although we love our Lakers, I think the Warriors are winning us over. Go Warriors!

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Thank God His grace is always sufficient for us.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10
⁹ And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. ¹⁰ Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 9:6-8

God loves our cheerful giving!

2 Corinthians 9:6-8
Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. ⁷ Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸ And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;

James 1:12

Blessed indeed!

James 1:12
Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

Psalm 20:6-8

Let our boast not be in anything we might do but in the cross of Christ and His great name.

Psalm 20:6-8
Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven, With the saving strength of His right hand. ⁷ Some boast in chariots and some in horses, But we ^[c]will boast in the name of the Lord, our God. ⁸ They have bowed down and fallen, But we have risen and stood upright.

Soccer - Gold Rush

Matt played in his first competitive soccer league. It was technically a rec league, but there were a lot of talented players out there.

He did a great job and had a ton of fun.

He started out playing left and right midfielder.

But ended up playing some attack and even scored a goal.

I always thought he was pretty fast, but he ended up being one of the fastest boys on the team and in the league.

But where Matt really excelled was on the defensive side of the ball. Quietly, he became one of our best defenders.

Unfortunately, that led to long moments of waiting for something to happen as our offense was pretty good.

I was the assistant coach for the year. Having never played soccer and knowing virtually nothing about the sport, I learned a lot and had a lot of fun too.

Mom and big bro were proud of Matt.

Emz was proud too, but she didn't quite catch all the nuances of the sport.

I was very proud of Matt for his hard work ethic, his ability to listen to coaching, his team play, and his individual growth as a player. He started really developing some skills. Now he can't get enough soccer.

It doesn't hurt that he got a trophy and that the team finished 1st (6 wins, 1 loss and 2 ties).

Matthew 11:28-30

Such a comforting and encouraging promise of rest from our Lord.

Matthew 11:28-30
²⁸ “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Romans 1:16-17

Romans 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. ¹⁷ For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.”

Matthew 10:28

I pray and hope that the boys and girl truly fear our great and holy God so that they may experience the compassion and lovingkindness that God has for those who fear Him.

Matthew 10:28 Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Philippians 1:6

Thank God - HE will perfect us and it's not up to us.

Philippians 1:6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.