It’s been a long hard week at gardening. Have pulled thousands of collard and cabbage plants plus getting drip irrigation set up. I didn’t put a title to today’s message because I did what I have done once before. I choose three Psalms by the date. There’s always a message to me when I choose psalms to read like that. Hopefully for others too.

Psalms 4

KJV^(i) 1 Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer. ² O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah. ³ But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him. ⁴ Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah. ⁵ Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD. ⁶ There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. ⁷ Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased. ⁸ I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.

Psalms 23

KJV^(i) 1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. ² He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. ³ He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. ⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. ⁵ Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. ⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Psalms 22

KJV^(i) 1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? ² O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent. ³ But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. ⁴ Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them. ⁵ They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded. ⁶ But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. ⁷ All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, ⁸ He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him. ⁹ But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother’s breasts. ¹⁰ I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother’s belly. ¹¹ Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help. ¹² Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. ¹³ They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. ¹⁴ I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. ¹⁵ My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. ¹⁶ For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. ¹⁷ I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. ¹⁸ They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture. ¹⁹ But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me. ²⁰ Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog. ²¹ Save me from the lion’s mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns. ²² I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee. ²³ Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel. ²⁴ For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard. ²⁵ My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him. ²⁶ The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever. ²⁷ All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. ²⁸ For the kingdom is the LORD’s: and he is the governor among the nations. ²⁹ All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul. ³⁰ A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. ³¹ They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.

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I had a smaller sign made to put by my old Phillip’s Farm sign that reads “Open For Business Sunday Thru Friday” three or four weeks ago before plants were ready. Someone drove up as I was typing this morning and wanted some plants and called the phone number. I told the person about the sign and that I was closed for business, tired and resting. She said that Saturday was the only day she could get out and she would find them somewhere else. I said, “Oh, sorry to hear that, but I work hard and am open for business Sunday through Friday, and I rest on Saturday, good luck.”

The local feed mill and garden center I’ve done business with is open half a day on Saturday. They got their order Friday afternoon. The order they got Friday morning had run out. They know I rest on Saturdays. I can’t tell people what to do, but I can set an example. Have sold collard and cabbage plants for years except for the last two. Most people are glad to see me come out of retirement. Many don’t know yet, but the word is out. As far as I know, I’m the only one locally with collard and cabbage plants.

Have a restful sabbath. I sure am!

LOLGB+