FUN UNDER THE SUN ENJOYING THE OUTDOOR MARKET OF MT. LAUREL

(Writing and Photography by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

Mt. Laurel is a lovely place, even if you aren’t there on Market Day, but Market Day is very special. 

The day I was there it felt like God had put up His bluest sky just for me!  It seemed He had intensified the landscape with bright blazing colors. The delicious scents of fresh cut flowers and the heavenly aroma of the amazing foods being sold at the market were so inviting. 

The moment I drove into the community, I felt completely surrounded by beauty.  This new urban-type community conforms to the land, and serves it’s inhabitants well by keeping everything needed for a rich daily life within walking distance of their homes.  There are beautiful churches, a school, shops, restaurants, a library, a grocery store and a hardware store, as well as other business establishments.  The architecture was lovely, quaint and well planned. 

Each front door of the homes seemed to say "Welcome!  Come visit me today."  I passed rocking chairs on porches that whispered, “Come sit a spell.”  There were comfortable benches scattered in shaded nooks.  I resisted the temptation to stop at a few of the open houses, just to peek into their lovely rooms, and to wonder through the streets and step inside the very interesting and unusual shops and restaurants.  Every little area looked like a place where I would enjoy sitting down with coffee and a good book.   

I had no time for that today though, after all, I was here for the out-door market which is held every Saturday starting in the spring and lasts through the summer.  The day can get away before you know it, and those marketers like to start early in the cool morning air.  I’m told that most of what is sold here is grown on the property locally and organically.  The growers host various educational classes to teach people the science of maintaining and growing your own food and eating and living nutritionally.   I didn’t need anyone to teach me that I had stumbled upon a good thing. 

Who could resist the smell of freshly baked bread?
I certainly could not pass it by.  The samples get you every time too, especially when they have all those jars of fresh jam and honey to add to the already perfect backed goods.

If you can "can" it, you can find it here.  Amazing how many flavors, just waiting to be tasted.

Veggies and flowers make a perfect combination on any table.  Forget planning out the tablescapes, this is a natural tablescape; designed by the greatest of all designers.

Just look at the beautiful sunflowers!  You know, I'm sure I passed the field they came from on the way in.

Do you have a little girl in need of a dance costume?  You've come to the right place.

Or maybe she only needs a hair bow.  You can find it here.  There is even a tea party going on for Moms and daughters around the corner after the market.   

Maybe you would like some cheerful glassware for your spring table.  Aren't these wonderful?

If you don't want to prepare your own veggies for cooking, someone here has done it for you!

This is truly a fruitful place.  The peaches were to die for
.

Soon my tummy and my shopping bag were full of fresh foods and crafts for the home.

I passed the people walking their dogs and the moms pushing their babies in strollers and made my way back to my car.  A beautiful window box caught my eyes as I was leaving.  It looked "just perfect."  It said in flowers how I felt about this beautiful day.  I gave thanks to God for the experience and headed for home to try some of the goodies I had found.

 

SEASONS - REMEMBERING THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES A FEW YEARS BACK

(Writing and Photography by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

Here is a little article that I wrote several years ago as we approached the first day of Sukkot/The Feast Of Tabernacles.  It was a period of time when my husband had been unemployed for quite awhile, I was cut back to 32 hours a week on my job and we were struggling quite a bit.  These thoughts give me great comfort now, as I look back and realize how God always looks after His children, no matter what their circumstances.  This temporary time taught me to learn how to better live out my life’s verse.

The time has arrived for The Feast of Tabernacles!

                  On the fifteenth day of this seventh month is the Festival of Sukkot, seven days
                                                                                      for the L-RD 
                                                                                  (Leviticus 23:34)

I LOVE Sukkot!!!!! 

It is a sweet, sweet time before the Lord that I treasure every year.  Of course, I can’t be in Jerusalem this year, and I am not a member at a Jewish congregation, but I am one of those born again, believing Christians who has come to understand the great significance of The Feast of Tabernacles, and celebrating this time before the Lord is always a big HUGE thing in my year. 

This season I’ve had to literally claw my way through the trappings of the world in order to get to God’s way of celebration.   It should be easy, not hard; but it hasn’t happened that way this year. Arriving in the proper place has not been at all easy.

I had dreamed all year of gathering the whole family together into a little mountain resort town, worshipping together every day and celebrating the joy of The Lord together all during the feast week, and just spending family time and relaxing in the evenings.  Things gradually, one by one, fell apart.  Everyone has made some other plans, money was tight, etc., etc.  Well, yes, that was my perfect plan, but alas, God has allowed a situation where I have unexpectedly had to forfeit this plan for something much simpler. 

My first prayer was one of frustration.  Nothing should stop the joy of the feast, so I just begin to passionately hold that up to God.  He answers me that I am absolutely right.  Hmmmm…..so I say but Lord; my budget will not allow a trip with the family this time.  I’ve done everything that I can, but it just isn’t happening.  

“Yes, I know” is what I hear. 

But Lord, why has it worked out this way?  And the answer is the most surprising thing, but I do hear it.

“Because I have called you to be content in all circumstances.”

I suddenly remembered the verse I long ago chose for my life verse,
Philippians 4:11-13.

The words screamed out to me:   Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
 

  I had no idea that keeping this wonderful season that I have previously kept with such ease was going to be so hard and complicated this year.  You know what?  Sometimes God REALLY calls on you to live out those life verses. 

Now, that word  “contentment” isn’t exactly what pops into my mind when I think of

celebrating a weeklong festival before the Lord.  I envision feasting, dancing, singing in crowds of joyful people with great fanfare!  So finally I gather my courage and  I ask The Lord what He has planned for me this week, knowing that asking Him was the very first thing I should have considered all along.  He says back to me those hard to digest words I often hear:

“I will show you.  Trust me.”
I am sure it is wrong to complain, but those words didn’t give me much direction. 

Next thing I know, my work calls to tell me they have a great need for me to be in the office on Monday and they want me to postpone my vacation time I’ve set aside at least one day, maybe more.  I had been trying to regroup and at least make a not so extravagant plan for something special to do at home with the family during this feast, but now I can’t even get the first day off from work, and will possibly even have more time than that tied up at work.  

The Ox is in the ditch. 

Some people would say it is a sin for me to work, and I should just take the time off 

anyway.   I had to confess to these zealots that I was in a bondage that I had created for myself – I had a mortgage and needed to keep my job in order to pay my bills.  We were going through tough financial times out there in the business world.  If you were employed you were one of the blessed, and you should not take that for granted in today’s economy.  My heart was already hurting for those that I worked with that had recently been let go for no fault of their own.  I did have to remember that  God said we should be responsible stewards.  I needed to  keep my word and pay my bills.  I needed my job, although at the time I  actually did have on my mind that maybe I no longer needed a mortgage, but God would have to led me through that decision and process over time.  I couldn't change anything overnight.   This was something out of my control.  I stood in the midst  of making tough decisions, of turning one way and then the other until I finally just ended up saying:

 “Okay, Lord, I trust You.” 

I’m was looking out my bedroom window, feeling sorry for myself, thinking sadly that I had not even built a sukkah!. I felt like a failure before God actually, because of not living up to my own testimony about keeping God’s feasts and festivals.  I knew in my heart He wanted us to keep them!   Then, almost as if someone was standing behind me and tapping ne on the shoulder, God reminds me that my back deck is a three sided structure that you can see the stars through.

Hmmm……………

He has provided what I was not prepared for.  I think of this simple little miracle and my heart becomes happier.  I go about planning an outdoor dinner on the deck for tonight.   We may not be starting the feast in a fancy place, but our home is a good place.  The view from our deck will be great! l  There will be lots of stars shining through the shelter.  This is good.

I consider the food.  My planning has been bad.  My budget has been so tight that the menu will probably need to be very limited.  I look in my pantry and find some great selections that I had overlooked.  God always provides what you need.  I had the physical things all along without even knowing it, now I just had to bring my mind and my spirit to the right place.  That was the thing that was most needed.  I confessed my sins of worry and anxiety to God.  I felt His forgiveness flood over me.  I thanked God for his awesome provision, and asked Him to keep my eyes wide open to all the daily blessings He brings from now on.  I had everything that we needed right here under our own roof to offer a joyful feast of thanksgiving to God on the first night of the festival. 

I thought of the people of God throughout history who had to celebrate their feast days under truly hard circumstances.  There were those who celebrated under  the rule of captivity.  I thought of those Jewish heroes that had to celebrate their feast days in concentration camps.  I remembered Corrie Ten Boom and her messages of how she found hope when there was no hope.  I thought of Joseph worshipping God in the pagan life he was forced to live in Egypt.  I began to see that my problems were all in my head. 
I resolved that after work tomorrow, I can do the same again.  We could have our feast on our provided sukkah on the deck and look at the stars and thank The God of Heaven and Earth every night during this week. 

Suddenly I felt very rested and not at all stressed.    

Maybe I was just anxious for nothing? 

I apologized to God for being so stressed over the details.  I am usually such a “Mary,” always worshipping at The Master’s feel; but this week I have been caught acting and behaving just like a “Martha” getting all bogged down in the details and the work and so much so that I almost missed the whole point of setting aside the time to listen, worship, rest and just be thankful and joyful in  the Lord. 

I  have been reminded this week that God simply wants me to sit at His feet and worship.  It doesn’t have to be elaborate, it can be as simple as a dinner on my back deck with my husband.  We will feast with the things that He has provided and offer thanksgiving prayers, ever grateful that we have food and shelter for this day, for this moment and for this season. 

It is enough to bask in God’s presence right where we are, right in the moment that we are living in, in the temples of our temporary bodies that He has given us and with our spirits that will never be destroyed or pass away. 

When the stars come out in the night sky, we will look up to see God’s story written in them. 

Is it not a great miracle? 

Is it not a wonderful thing just to sit after a full meal and look up at the night sky and be ever thankful that God is in control and we are not?  

The God who thinks way beyond anything that I could ever imagine reminded me that we own a telescope that is not even being used.  I had not thought of it in years.  I hasten to go out to the storage area and clean it up and place it next to our table on the deck.  Yes, we have everything that we need, and even more!

Happy Feast of Tabernacles Everyone! 

May you be able to see God’s blessing unfold before you as you worship and sit at His feet this week.

I pray that the world will not be able to keep you from all the good that God has blessed you with.

May we all live in eager anticipation for the time when Messiah returns to set up His Kingdom and rule and reign, for a thousand years of peace.

He will graciously provide everything that we need, and it could just be that  the simple things are actually the richest things after all.

SEASONS - PONDERING THE GLORIOUS IMPOSSIBLE FOR CHRISTMAS 2013

So have you find the wonder of Christmas this year?   Have you found your "glorious impossible"?  God always does that you know.  He has a way of putting His glory into your impossible and making miracles.

  They seem to happen most often at Christmas time, so every year I look for the glorious impossibles!  

I've never been disappointed.  He always shows me something.  One year it was a yard full of red birds.  One year it was a family I gained overnight.  Last year it was the secret of how to make Christmas out of nothing at all.  God is always making something out of nothing and if you believe in the power of His love, you can too.  It is wonderful.

So look for the glorious impossible until you find it.



The glorious impossibles will teach you things you will never forget.  Christmas is such a teachable time.  There is always something new that God is teaching us at Christmas time.  

 What is God showing you this year?  The lessons seem to come when you least expect them, and they always show up in the most unusual places.

  This year has been the learning of a more  quiet kind of joy for me.  It is as if I’m soaking up some kind of wonder that I may never find again.   I sense that Christmas as we have always known it in our country is fleeing away and that it may not be so much a focus in our world as it has been in the past.  This makes me sad; and I hope to be a small part of the world that keeps this from happening.  Yet even this fact has not been able to rob me of my joy in this present year; it has only given me a deeper appreciation for the precious things that I’ve often taken for granted.  

I’ve always been glad to be living in a country where you could express your religious beliefs openly without persecution.  I sense that may not last much longer in America; so this year I’m proclaiming Christmas as loud and long as I can make a joyful noise!  I do not take the gift of freedom and free speech for granted.  I am grateful to still have these blessings as I ponder the glorious impossibles of this year.  There are many other things I am grateful for.

Last year I found myself in quite opposite circumstances than the situation I’m living in this year.  I can remember as Christmas approached in 2012 that I was feeling very

apprehensive.  Financially we had been through a very hard year.  It was the second Christmas in a row that my husband had been without a job.  God taught me a lot during that time about how happiness and joy can’t be bought and about how our greatest treasures are absolutely free for the taking.  The Great Creator showed me how to be so creative myself that no one ever suspected how much money I didn’t have in my pockets.  I make the cutest little gifts just from things I found around the house and they were a great hit!  This year all my children are showing me the photos of how they have used them and I’m always smiling.  They think the smiles are because I’m pleased they are still finding joy from gifts from last year, but the smile is actually from the peace and joy of knowing a God who looks after me and cares for me no matter where I find myself in life.  That is the wonder I’m pondering the most this year.  That is the gift God keeps showing me over and over. 

   Though I didn’t make my gifts this year from the things around the house – I did catch myself being more selective in the meaning of my gifts and less concerned about the dollar amount spent.  Less money wasted meant more money that could be useful in helping others.  That message rang out from my heart this year like never before.  

Perhaps because of this God seemed to be putting just the right thing for just the right price for just the right person before my eyes as I shopped. It was the first year I didn’t even have to worry about having the right present ideas.  It all just happened like magic. It actually felt like I had angels monitoring my shopping.  God gave me that joy this year – like a beautiful gift among many other gifts. 

My eyes had been opened enough to see this and recognize it and reflect on how awesome it really was.   I wasn't buying gifts just because you give gifts.  I was actually thinking of the person I was buying the gift for and knowing that this gift was meant for them.   I was so thankful and felt so blessed to be able to purchase these things freely without worry this time.  

I caught myself remembering so many answered prayers as I went through my shopping.  My husband had found a great new job.  My hours had been restored to full time.  The debts we had accumulated in the struggle had been paid now.  I was not pressured to make any new debts and had learned to enjoy Christmas from where I was with what  I had to offer.  It was wonderful and freeing.  

Last year we had considered selling the home that we loved and felt fortunate to have it to

give up if needed.  This year I find myself decorating the place that I have called home for many years with the old familiar ornaments handed down through the family  and loving every minute of it.  It is as if everything has suddenly become new and magical to me – I’ve learned this year how wonderful it can be to count your blessings in every circumstance, and my joy is now overflowing.



I find my priorities have completely changed.  In the midst of all this abundance that I am feeling – I have a strong growing concern and compassion for all those who are still finding themselves going through troubled times.   I sense that this will continue for many for much longer than we can imagine. Not everyone can sing a song of joy today and I know their pain.  There are those who have lost people that they love this year.  I know that pain too. There are those who have been pulled into circumstances beyond their control that have wrecked their lives.  I've been there.  There are those looking for work and those who need money to feed their children.   I understand.  There are those who have given all they have to receive nothing back but more worry and pain.  God has graciously walked me down these same roads.  I did not understand it then, but I know now that He was teaching me to believe in the glorious impossibles of life.  

 I have learned enough to know my own circumstances could change again at any given second.  So what is bringing me such joy this year in the midst of troubled times?

  I have learned like Paul to be content in all circumstances.

 

All through this season as I decorated the tree, prepared the food and bought the presents I kept remembering a verse from the Apostle Paul which I learned years ago:

Philippians 4:11-13

New International Version (NIV)

¹¹ I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. ¹² I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³ I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

This to me is the glorious impossible. 

Every year I look for God’s glory in the impossible and I call it the “glorious impossible” when I see it.  

This year – this is it:  I have learned to be content through all things because I have learned that  Christ is always with me.  It is the greatest gift of all. 

May you find it too – to know Christ and to know His love throughout all eternity.

Merry Christmas!