This may seem like an unusual title for a Christmas article, but is it really? “Steady as she goes,”is a nautical term, and has been in use for centuries. I googled it to see when it began to be used, but could not find a date. I can hear the captain of a pirate ship shout out “Steady as she goes mate!” (I watched my share of pirate movies as a child). If you think about the saying, it implies several things. It can be a command from the captain to the helmsman to keep the current course, or to get back on course if the helmsman drifted, but it also implies that things are going in the right direction. Can we say that about our lives – that we are going in the right direction? Is it more of “I’ll take my best shot”, and see what happens? How did a captain make sure that they were on the right course? He navigated using a map, a compass and in earlier days, the stars. He had to have a good knowledge of the constellations before all the navigation equipment was invented. What “navigation equipment” do we use? I would say the stock market to get a good feel of the economy, but it has its ups and downs – no pun intended. We may use money in general, but with the cost increase in domestic goods such as food, housing, and clothing, it’s hard to gauge where we stand with our budgets. There are cost increases in the landscaping field as well. The materials we use to put together landscapes, such as soil, boulders, irrigation parts, plants and especially lumber have gone up in cost. From the time I write out an estimate to the time we start the job, prices could have changed, especially with lumber.
“Steady as she goes” not only implies being on the right course, but within that course there is a sense of security. As a young man going through college, it meant a lot to have my dad say to me “Steady as she goes”, having been a sailor himself. His words gave me encouragement and security. My dad has since passed, and there is no one to say steady as she goes, yet I find my security in my faith. That has become my compass and
map, particularly the scriptures, where I can always find words of encouragement. I have a personality that likes to tease my clients, and so at times they will ask me how I know what to do. I will jokingly say, “we fake it till we make it.” It is always said with a smile, and hopefully a twinkle in my eyes. My men and I have been in landscaping for 24 years now, so there is not much we can’t handle or haven’t done. I have such confidence, and so for our nervous clients, I can assure them that all will be fine. Experience has given myself and my men this confidence. They are extensions of me, and without them I could not do what I do.
Back to my question, are you going “steady as she goes” or are you going to “fake it till you make it,” and hope that you are making the right decisions? I have now been married for 42 years and it took work, forgiveness, many late-night talks, and most of all faith in a God that makes no mistakes, though at times it may appear so. Faith in a God who does not make mistakes is my compass, map and stars that I navigate by, just as the captains of old. These navigational tools are what assured these captains that they were going to arrive at their destination, and not end up at another continent, state or port. Are you navigating correctly? Will you reach your destination, and do you know what it is? Maybe your destination or port is to be financially secure, achieve status at work, or have that dream job. Maybe your goal is more domestic, like raising successful kids. This is a great goal, as is to stay married to the wife of your youth, which seems way too dispensable these days. There are many destinations and choosing the right one is of utmost importance.
For the older group, there is the question of Eternity. Do I really know what awaits me when I pass away? Is it six feet in the ground, or is there more? Each main faith has their belief. In the “Honor Cultures”, to die nobly honoring your family so
you can spend Eternity with your ancestors is the goal. In the Eastern cultures, one becomes part of the Great Cosmos, and the goal of this faith is to lose any sense of self, for it is “self” that causes the wars, violence, division and pain in the world. For the Arab cultures, death is joyful for the male because he will inherit a harem of women. This is totally a man’s religion. However, for the Christian faith, Jesus said something very comforting to one of the men being crucified with him.
Luke 23
“There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death. And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” Speaking to all those who participated in his crucifixion and beatings and to all of humanity. His death purchased our right to ask for forgiveness.
And then later we have these words…
“Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
Jesus’ words assured the criminal that he was pardoned, and Heaven awaited him. He died in peace. My interpretation of Jesus’s words in response to his request is you are almost home, or “Steady as She Goes.” There can be no greater question
answered or comfort than this one. I know I am getting personal, but cancer surgery is extremely personal, and yet it must be done to save a life. I liken this to that. There is no greater need of man than to have the assurance that he is going “Steady as She Goes” through life, and that he will arrive at the desired destination. Do you agree?
God Bless you and Merry Christmas,
Arthur
P.S I write a monthly blog called Vida4U that is faith based and its intent is to challenge us, encourage us and keep us “Steady as She Goes.” If you are interested in receiving it send an email to Karimanhart@gmail.com
Please watch the video introduction to my message here:
There can be many roadblocks in our lives and many reasons for them. One roadblock that is not emphasized enough is our disobedience to the scriptures. Some of these actions are purposeful, we choose to ignore God’s commands, and some are because of Biblical ignorance. I believe one that the church has under-emphasized is the teaching of water baptism and being baptized in the Holy Spirit. Both were heavily taught and practiced in the early church and were taught for a reason. The next step after one accepts Christ, and one must accept Christ to be saved (attending church or ascribing to religious beliefs is not sufficient), is water baptism. The best example of this is the Ethiopian eunuch.
Acts 8:35-37
Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same Scripture, and preached unto him, Jesus.
And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
Baptism is a public statement that you want to follow Christ. It gets you out of being a closet Christian. I was not baptized immediately upon my conversion; it was a couple of years later. During the first two years of my conversion, I wandered, being 14, when I came to Christ. My close friend at the time was not Christian and became an obstacle to my Christian growth. I was double-minded or, as the Bible calls it, “lukewarm.” Toward the end of this period, I heard a message from my pastor about being lukewarm. Revelations 3 is the verse, and it scared the lukewarm-ness right out of me. I recommitted my life back to Christ.
Revelation 3:15-16
I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou were cold or hot.
So then, because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew (spit) thee out of my mouth.
I did not want to be “spit” in God’s mouth, let alone spit out. I started attending my church’s youth group more and really started listening to Sunday morning messages more intently. Peter and I broke up as friends. He told me I was no longer fun to hang around with. It hurt because we had been good friends for a while, but I could feel the drag on my soul. I had been praying about breaking up with Peter, but his salvation was a concern to me, and I did not know what to do. I was really hoping that he would come to my youth group. However, when he decided to leave, I took that as answered prayer. Without Peter, I began growing in my faith. I was unaware of how much of an influence he was on me, like my non-Christian dad was on my mom. I could now see why the scriptures teach not to be unequally yoked. Not only was I living the effects of that in my home, but also with Peter. From this point on, all relationships close to me were going to be believers.
2 Corinthians 6:14
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
As I became more involved in my church’s youth group, I volunteered to be a church camp counselor. It was the summer of my junior year. I was 16. At camp, I had ten boys between 10 and 12, and I was serious about teaching the scriptures to them. We had church Bible studies taught by my friend’s dad, the camp pastor. After the message, we would break up into our groups and discuss the message. I also had a female partner who had ten girls. The idea was to represent a family structure. This was tough. I was way over my head, especially with the girls. I had no sisters.
The boys pushed my buttons one time too many. It was Wednesday night, and they kept messing around, so at 11:00 pm, I made them get out of their sleeping bags, go outside and do push-ups till they couldn’t do them anymore. My partner, with some of her girls, overheard my voice and came out to see what was happening. I was mad, and she being several years older, helped me to calm down, but the boys learned that night that I was not to be messed with. The last two days of camp went very well. I still felt way over my head and prayed hard not to blow it. The last message from Mr. Bixby was about accepting Christ and getting baptized. After the week, I was now ready. I was all in and wanted to obey the Lord and get baptized. He talked about the baptism of water and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. He was a Baptist minister who knew the scriptures on baptism. All I knew was I wanted it all.
When Pastor Bixby baptized me, I felt the power of the Holy Spirit come over me, and I could not stand. Fortunately we were in the pool and Pastor Bixby could hold me up until I got my feet under me. As I got out of the pool, my partner asked me to baptize her. We asked Pastor Bixby and he okayed it because I had just gotten baptized by the Holy Spirit. He felt I was now qualified. This was all so new to me. Karen, my partner, had never seen a young man so committed to Christ (if she only knew my struggles), and it moved her to become more committed.
My last surprise was equally amazing. There was a very rebellious young man in my group who I ended up spanking. I told him that his behavior would hurt him in the future and that I was spanking him because I cared about him. He said his dad never spanked him, and it showed. Before I sent him to the cabin, he said he would tell his dad. This happened on Wednesday, so I had a couple of days to be stressed about meeting his dad, but I spent extra time with Rick on Thursday, showing him that I did care. Friday came, and all the parents came. Some I met, and after Rick greeted his dad, he returned and hugged me and thanked me for caring. I was so overwhelmed with everything that had happened I just cried. Karen saw me and came up and asked if I was okay. I told her what had just happened, and she understood and hugged me. That hug felt so good. I saw her a few times after that in church, but then no more. She was 21 and was going to college in another state.
That is my experience with water baptism and baptism in the Holy Spirit. Others teach that unless you speak in tongues, which I don’t (unless you count Spanish), you are not baptized in the Holy Spirit. I disagree, but at the same time, I know the scriptures that give examples of people being baptized in the Holy Spirit and afterward speaking in tongues. I have no dispute with those that teach that. Typically what is taught is you first get baptized in water as an outward confession of your commitment to Christ, and then sometime later as you are maturing in your faith, you feel as though you need more. That becomes the internal indicator that God wants to fill you with His Holy Spirit. Jesus put it this way…
Luke 24:46-49
And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things.
And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high (the baptism of the Holy Spirit).
The word endued means to put on, like a cloak or jacket and power is “ achieving power.” Dunamis is the Greek word. It is used throughout the New Testament. It means strength, capable, able, so combining the two words is to put on power ( that God clothes you in) that enables you to accomplish what He is calling you to. Yet we cannot put Jesus in a box and say it must be done in this order. There is an account of a Greek man named Cornelius, and his group received the Holy Spirit even before getting baptized.
Acts 10:44-47
While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid — water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
There is no “formula,” but generally, this is the order. One becomes a Christian, gets water baptized, and then gets filled with the Holy Spirit. There was no question in the early church of the need and the practice of water and Spirit baptism. Disobedience to this is a significant roadblock and the first way the enemy siphons off immature believers. Obedience is always critical, especially in the early years of being a believer. I hold the church at fault for not emphasizing this teaching and practice.
This is when you now want to be 100% His. This enables you to witness for Christ more effectively. Peter, through the Holy Spirit, said our faith was precious, as gold tried in the fire.
1 Peter 1:6-7
Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: (trials). That the testing (refining) of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: (the present hardships are preparing us for future glory).
Another roadblock is becoming offended at trials or not taking Christ’s words seriously.
These roadblocks or trials can be severe. Many years ago, my youngest daughter was dating a policeman, and they were considering marriage. Unfortunately, on a traffic stop, Matt got struck by a car and died. The father told me that God had no right to take him. “Matt was mine,” he told me. I was not able to help him. To tell God He had no right (assuming that it was God that took him and not just the risk of the job he was in) was to put yourself in the place of God. However, I was able to help my daughter, praise the Lord. Having gone through a death with my brother, I could relate to her, and slowly, as a family, we got back to normal. I was so grateful that God had prepared me to help my daughter. It made all the pain, guilt, and self-hatred worth it. I blamed myself for my brother’s drowning, though I was only eight.
This is often the case when a family member dies, and the family member that is present blames themselves. You always feel you could have done more. It’s an awful burden to carry. Even now, as I write this, strong emotions come back. I make myself remember that Bobby is with Jesus, and my emotions calm down. If I didn’t have Jesus and His hope, I would drink. It’s just simply too much.
This is just one of many roadblocks and offenses that could cause us to turn our backs on Christ. From family to work to massive personal insecurities and temptations. I had a vision during one of the most challenging times; I was on a tightrope. The chasm below me was enormous, sure death if I fell off, and there were miles of tightrope to travel. I was no good at walking on a tightrope, so confronted with such a huge challenge, I told Jesus that this was so beyond me that He needed to do it through me. Instantly I felt courage and hope. These were the words the Lord was waiting for to surrender to Him fully. I was still a little scared, but now I had hope, sensing His presence with me. I was learning a valuable principle of the school of faith: apart from Him, I can do nothing. Said in another way, God wants to do everything with us. He is so relational that every big and little thing in our life He wants to be part of. I was learning about how relational and loving my (our) Dad was (and is).
John 15:4-5
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can — do nothing.
The word picture here is fabulous. If you have ever driven through Napa county in late summer or any other regions where grapes are grown, you see the grapes hanging from the vine. The grapes would not exist except for the vine. Jesus wants us to be fruitful, but the fruit He wants is righteous fruit, something in our sinful nature we cannot produce.
Galatians 5:19-25
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
What kind of fruit is found on you or me, especially when things are not going our way? Now there is no condemnation in this. The Holy Spirit often puts us in difficult situations to expose these hidden weaknesses in us so we can acknowledge them, repent, and find His forgiveness and Grace to get past them. So please do not hide from the conviction of the Holy Spirit, but agree with Him and repent.
Hebrews 12:5-7
And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
Proverbs 3:11-13
My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
For — whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father — the son in whom he delighteth.
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding (and how is wisdom and understanding gotten, through submitting to His loving hand of chastisement). And did not Christ our Savior not have to do the same?
Luke 22:41-44
And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,
Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.
And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
The tension is so great in Him that His sweat was blood from ruptured vessels in His face. He bore the worst so we could benefit from His obedience. We only have to deny ourselves, but the weight and condemnation of our disobedience and sin rested and was fully satisfied by His death. The Spotless Lamb of God.
John 1:29
The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
Our greatest need is fulfilled in Him if we deny ourselves and follow Him. “Not my will Lord but Yours be done in me.” This needs to be the response of our heart. Many of us get so busy attending Bible studies and volunteering at church or with life, the kid’s sports, business meetings, and family functions that we neglect our time with the Lord. If your schedule is so tight that you do not have 30 to 45 minutes each day to spend with Him, then you are too busy. My suggestion is to lose some activities. He did not save us from doing ministry or from keeping us so busy that we neglected Him. That may sound strange, and “ busy” is like a drug to many of us. It makes us feel important and needed, but we are worshipping a false idol. There is NO GREATER sense of worth than sitting at His feet (figuratively speaking) and sensing His love and presence. If we would do just that, we would lose the need to go here or do that because our sense of worth would be rightly satisfied.
That may sound strange to you “ Martha’s out there, but to you, Mary, it’s a joy.
Luke 10:38-42
Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. But Martha was encumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
But only one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
From where The Lord is, He only sees one critical thing, our relationship with Him. Nothing will outlast that or exceed it in importance. And learning to prioritize and live the Truth is the secret to feeling secure and victorious. The farther away we get from the Truth, the fewer victories we will have and the greater our struggles with insecurity, inferiority, stress, worry, etc.
He saved us because He loves us and wants us to know Him. For ministry to be effective and impactful, it must come as an outflow of knowing Him, never through education or learning how to work the crowd. I’ve known several pastors that have gone down this road only to have big churches with no depth. These churches are great for people who feel they can earn their salvation by doing good deeds, much like the Pharisees in Christ’s day. Burnout and broken families, and children that want nothing to do with Christianity come from that scenario. It is so sad, for they blame Christ for the breakup of their family, and Christ had nothing to do with it. He made marriage, but when a man seeks his good, his ego above being In love with Christ, this is one of the many scenarios that can happen. Christ said He would build to build the church to increase the donations etc. The Lord said the Church was His body and will care for it, but He is looking for faithful, self-giving pastors to entrust her to. Will that be us?
***
Father,
Help us to heed thy Word knowing that it is for our good to bring radical obedience to us, not from works that illusion of the flesh but firm, solid obedience from a heart that just loves and adorns You, I pray. It is all for our good despite the difficulty we may find it to obey. It will always be for our good from a Father who loves us so.
Since you’ve come this far, consider my book collection of essays.
https://a.co/d/7k2rjDZ
Arthur Navarrette Vida4U.com is the website where all past Vida’s are archived. In addition to the weekly devotionals, the yearly inspirational writings featured in December’s House2Home Magazine are archived under “Faith Talk.” Please use this site for your benefit and refer your friends to it as well. If they would like the weekly series emailed to them, they can send their requests to Arthur@Vida4U.com.
Please watch the video introduction to my message here:
We all have experienced roadblocks in our life.
Have you had a difficult relationship that makes you hesitant to enter another one? Or an upbringing that taught you not to trust people? Or maybe you fear failure, so you always play it safe.
These examples are only a few of the multitude of emotional roadblocks we have to deal with. How do we grow past them? How do we become strong so that these negative influences do not control us? I hate feeling like a victim, don’t you? I am sure you feel the same way. We want to become a “victor,” which is exactly what Christ wants. We must learn to see life through the truth of scripture. That makes us a victor. The first step towards that is understanding that the love that our Savior has for us is what enables us to conquer. How many soldiers endured such hardness in prison camps because of the love their wives had for them? It’s what kept them alive. How much more should our Savior’s love keep us moving forward!
Jeremiah 31:3
The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
Romans 8:31-32
What shall we then say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things (that are for our spiritual good, not a new house or a Porsche).
Therefore the real question is, do you believe that God loves you? Without abiding and seeking Him
it will be hard to feel or sense His love, though these verses are absolutely true. I would tape these verses to your bathroom mirror and read them while shaving, putting on your makeup, or brushing your hair. We need to get these truths into us. What does John 3:16 say…
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whoever would believe in Him would not perish but have everlasting life.” It was God’s love for us that sent His son to die on our behalf. How can we not trust Him?
Therefore until we get past this first hurdle that God loves us, roadblocks will continue to appear and set us back.
Once we believe and know His love, we can begin to move forward. The next challenge is also tough, but it is sent to purge us from the values of the world.
Romans 8:30
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy of being compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Therefore instead of self-pity, which is a huge roadblock, this verse teaches us that present-day hardships do not compare to the glory that will be revealed in us. Eternity is a very long time. Too many of us make now our reality without offsetting it with an Eternal perspective. If we start living as sons and daughters of The Lord and put our hope in Him, we will gain the courage and endurance to keep moving forward in this life as victors.
The suffering Paul endured in his life for Christ was a lot. Fox’s Book of Martyrs is a book every serious believer should read at least once. It will give you a profound appreciation for the roots of our faith; what others went through to preserve it. Now it is up to us to pass it on. “Raw Christianity” cares nothing for religious restrictions, observances, or beliefs that cannot be anchored in scripture. It has nothing to do with which church we attend. It has everything to do with submitting to God’s will.
Through the centuries proclaiming Christ has cost believers beatings, imprisonment, and their lives. I wonder, if it became illegal to be a Christian (as is currently being experienced by believers in communist & Muslim countries), what would happen? Would a church of 500 “professing believers” be whittled down to 100, or would it grow to 900? Pray to be counted among the faithful.
Romans 8:38-39
For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
From a Biblical definition, this is the root of what it means to be blessed. Receiving this truth is what makes us a victor regardless of the circumstances. What good is it to have all one can have in this life, reach the top, and find emptiness? This happens to many of the wealthy and famous, so drug abuse and debauchery are prevalent among them. There can be no substitute for experiencing God’s love. No amount of “the good” life can compare.
As believers, our lives should not be entangled with the values of this world. Materialism, status, or anything that is a prize to the world is an impostor and a false substitute for the life our Father wants to give us.
Seriously, how can one improve on having the Holy Spirit of God fill you? This is the very definition of LIFE. Sadly, this might not “float your boat” AS YET, but hopefully, as you mature in your faith and take a few hard knocks from life (unfortunately, that’s how we learn), this statement will bring you comfort and joy as it does me. When too much of the world dwells in us, we are like the seed thrown into the weeds (the parable of the sower that Jesus told).
Matthew 13:7-8
And some (seed) fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, (with the germinated seedlings) and choked them:
But other (seeds) fell into good ground and brought forth fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
By holding onto the world’s values, we cannot fully appreciate what God is offering. Don’t worry; God knows how to change the human heart. If you truly want to be more Christ-like, then ask Him. Ask Him to give you a love for His Bible which will give you the strength to say no to your flesh and yes to Him, making you an obedient “son or daughter. There’s a great prayer that King David prayed and all serious believers since.
Psalms 139:23-24
Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
And then we have God’s promises for sanctification.
Ezekiel 36:25-27
Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness and your idols, will I cleanse — you (the purpose of the Cross).
A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away — the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh (make this your prayer, Lord you said…).
And I will put — my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in — my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
This is the role of the Holy Spirit. We all experience the need for approval. What better way than to have the Lord stamp His seal on our souls? When God created man, man was fully formed but lay lifeless until the Holy Spirit breathed life into him. This proves that we are spiritual first, then person, then flesh. However, ever since man sinned, our being changed. Our spirit (union with Christ died), our carnal nature ruled, and our person became governed by it. Consequently, we are plagued by such a strong need for purpose and meaning because of God’s absence in our life. By becoming born again, we return back to our created form, but it’s a fight against our carnal nature.
Genesis 2:7
And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul (living soul, not being).
Therefore man’s life was originally in the spirit, not in the blood as we are today. Imagine the vacuum in man’s soul when the Holy Spirit departed. God had to recreate man’s life with his blood. It is no wonder why blood and its sacrifice have been such a big deal both in our faith as well as in pagan rituals. For us, it speaks of forgiveness, hence the yearly sacrifice of a spotless lamb for the forgiveness of our sin, foreshadowing Christ’s ultimate and final atonement for man. For the pagan faiths, which often involved human sacrifice, it was blasphemy against God’s prize creation or animal sacrifice to idols, demonic deities that ruled over those cultures (e.g., Aztecs, Mayans, or the Incas as recent examples in history.)
After the fall, Adan and Eve, for the first time, saw themselves without God’s glory covering them. They saw their flesh. They were naked. To us being naked is to be without clothes. To them, it was without God’s glory.
Genesis 3:9-10
And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
And he said, I heard — thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.
**All the insecurities of fear, self-conscience, self-hatred, jealousies, envy, pride, emptiness, hatred, etc., all of the evils that plague man come flooding in because of their disobedience, and when we disobey the Lord, we enter into satan’s realm (1 Samuel 15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry…”).
We are alive because God breathed His Life into us, and we became a living soul. Forgetting how we were created, do we turn to our carnal appetites to satisfy our spiritual need? We need to think soundly, understanding that our true inward need is still spiritual. We can only be truly satisfied by the Lord. He’s our Maker, and the proof of that is the struggle to find significance apart from Him.
We must return to Him, or if we are Born Again, then enjoy Him by having regular Bible studies. In doing so, every other relationship will, with time and maturity, be prioritized correctly. So, say goodbye to toxic relationships or relationships that use us, and we let them because our inward need is so great. Christ’s love for us will change that, and we will find as we mature, we will have the strength and inward confidence to say no to toxic relationships and yes to the ones God provides. Start to feel good about yourself, in your own skin. This is the goal of our Heavenly Father when we allow Him to love us just as we are.
Psalms 1 (Psalm of David)
Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
This is literally a step-by-step “formula” for curing all that ails us. What is good for our souls is also healthy for our bodies. Now, as you read the following verses, ask yourself if Paul and Silas were any less blessed than King David, who wrote Psalm 1. Remember, being blessed is not circumstantial; that’s our definition as human beings. It’s all based on favorable circumstances.
However, as believers in Christ, to be blessed is positional, not circumstantial. As His son or daughter by Grace, nothing could be better. To have God Almighty as our Father and experience His love for us is wonderful. Without trial and problems, which represents the darkness, clouds, and storms in our lives, His guidance would not be appreciated. It’s the contrast between Pharoah at Israel’s back coming with chariots to kill and capture back the Israelites and with the Red Sea in front, trapped. Then through the course of just one night, the Red Sea is parted, providing a way to escape. Paul and Silas experienced this. They had no idea that the Lord would cause an earthquake; they just felt honored to suffer for their Lord.
Acts 16:16-19
And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:
The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most-high God, which show unto us the way of salvation. And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.
And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers (accusing them…)
Acts 16:21-24
And teach customs that are not lawful for us to receive or to observe, being Romans.
And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.
And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely:
Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison and made their feet fast in the stocks.
Did Paul and Silas do something wrong? Is this still the blessed life we read of in Psalm 1? Would we feel blessed if we underwent this kind of persecution, or would we think that God had abandoned us? I can almost hear Job’s friends, or maybe some modern-day believers accusing us of doing something wrong or not doing enough good deeds.
Acts 16:25-28
And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
And suddenly there was a great earthquake so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bands were loosed (however many were there where they were all free).
And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had fled.
But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
The jailer would have killed himself, but Paul stopped him; why? With the jailer dead, Paul and Silas could have easily escaped along with the rest of the prisoners. Who are these guys who would sing praises to God amid bleeding and painful wounds, locked in stocks and not escape, when God Himself provided their freedom? Are they delirious from the pain, or is there something we are not seeing? Paul and Silas valued the life of the jailer above their own. What has happened to this caliber of faith? Our culture’s prosperity has taken the heart of our faith from us. Materialism breeds selfishness, where we put ourselves first. What would it be worth if we were to assign a monetary amount to this kind of rock-solid faith? Could it even be calculated?
At times “good fortune” does befall us. We find extra money and say it must be the blessing of the Lord instead of turning it in. And why don’t we? We say, “oh they will just keep it for themselves, so I might as well keep it.” We fail to see that it is not about the money but who the money reveals who we are. Are we living for ourselves or the Lord? If it’s for the Lord, He seeks absolute integrity in all areas of life. We see Paul and Silas being so faithful to the Lord that even in pain they praise Him.
Paul and Silas were hurting from their whippings. Usually when we are in pain, we let everyone around us know it, and if we don’t do that, we are at least grumpy. They were neither, and their concern was not for themselves but for the jailer. Could we endure beatings for Him and then sing because our life is still blessed?
But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, bringing forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
Does our suffering change the truth of these verses? Our life has seasons, seasons of testing, and seasons of blessings, yet it all serves to make us men or women of God. The manufacturing of tempered steel is the process of extreme heating and cooling, making it stronger. This is required for beams that span bridges or make skyscrapers. The steel must be tempered to withstand the strain it will undergo. As we persevere, steel is being put into our souls. Just as our souls (our structure) undergo life, we are “heated and cooled” (trials and blessings) to the end that we become able and strong. Our structure, unlike the bridge or skyscraper, is Eternal. Our faith brings us closer to Him (which is His goal) and makes us a stronger witness of His Life in us, which should be our goal.
The problem we have is our culture’s mindset toward suffering. If we are struggling, having hassles, in pain, or having problems at work, something must be wrong; we can’t be blessed. Now, if we are being stupid and making poor choices, we are bringing it on ourselves, but if we are living for Christ, then we ARE blessed even though times are tough. We must break away from the American philosophy that says suffering is bad or that we did something wrong. Just like Job’s friends wrongly accused him of sinning because of his suffering. Jesus says…
Matthew 5:10
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
We are blessed because suffering is the stamp that the Spirit of God is upon us, working righteousness through suffering. Suffering also causes us to focus more intently on our daily decisions and cast out anything with no eternal value. We are pushed into making the right choices; who will we live for? Will our decisions be based on instant gratification or something more long-term, our flesh or the Kingdom? If we choose wisely, then choosing the Kingdom is a great trade-off; the infinite and its glorious beauty for the finite that will end.
Here are some cool promises:
Deuteronomy 28:9
The LORD shall establish thee a holy people unto himself( this is what God has always wanted), as he hath sworn unto thee if thou shalt keep — the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in his ways.
Deuteronomy 28:13-14
And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearkens unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:
And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command — thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.
We don’t have gods of wood and stone; no, we are much more sophisticated. Our gods come in money, steel cars, homes, and flesh. The more you walk with Christ, the more you realize how much the values of this life are just illusions. Promises of happiness and contentment are fleeting. Our needs are spiritual and can only be satisfied by Christ. Once you gain your “spiritual sight,” you begin to see the illusion that humanity is under. Something that we may be going through right now may hurt, but if it causes me to see the truth by praying more and searching out promises in God’s Word (like I just shared), then is it really hurting me? It is helping to drive God’s Word deeper inside of me and drive worldly values out of me, giving me my spiritual sight.
Exodus 15:2
The LORD is my strength and song, (e.g., Paul and Silas), and He has become my salvation: He is my God, and I will prepare him a habitation ( in my soul), ….and I will exalt him.
Exodus 15:26
If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for — I am the LORD that healeth thee.
I think it’s time that we take our Christian Faith and our Savior seriously. He makes many promises to us, read Duet. 28.
My favorite passage on trusting God is found in Daniel.
Daniel 3:16-18
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar ( the world ruler at the time), we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.
If it be so, our God whom we serve can deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.
But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
I’ve shared this verse before and what I love about their faith is whether God acts on their behalf or not, they will not bow. God is free to do what He will do, but my response to a situation is not based on The Lord saving me or making my life easier; it’s based on the fact that He is worthy of my allegiance. We must become like these young men and like Job. That is why these men saw Christ in the fire, and Job was so praised by God. Their devotion to God was not based on favorable circumstances; the circumstances did not add or take away from their devotion to God. Amen.
1 Peter 4:12-14
Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you?
But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
Can we become like these men? Not having the Holy Spirit or being born again, their fear and respect of God are amazing.
Amen
Father,
Make us tempered sons and daughters who can bear the weight of life’s trials and hardship and hold Your Glory and display it with humility and praise. Make Your church, your Bride, beautiful and battle ready, I pray.
Amen
Thank you,
Arthur
If you’ve come this far please consider buying our book, which is a collection of these messages: https://a.co/d/62Wzp2p
I have to admit that the title is unusual. This project is a new home with just a dirt backyard. Laura is a repeat client. A couple years ago we landscaped her front yard, and then later her backyard. She and her husband sold their home and moved into this new one. When I first saw the backyard, it was a larger than normal yard, so I created the estimate with the size in mind. As we began the work, the yard began to “shrink”, visually speaking. An empty lot with just dirt, and especially a corner lot, always appears larger than what it really is. To make a long story short, everything was done exactly as planned, however the labor hours were drastically reduced. We beat our estimated completion time by 3 days, which means Laura got everything she requested, but for 1/5 less than the original cost. We mostly re-do landscapes, and I have to imagine everything removed. I then have to think about what the potential could be. My eye is not used to looking at just dirt. This was a good lesson for me, and it became quite humorous to me that every time I came, the yard looked incrementally smaller. About halfway through, I was able to tell Laura that she was going to save some money. I just could not tell her how much at the time.
The yard was divided up into four distinct parts. We had the Citrus area, (not in view) which was down the east side of the home. There was the patio area with plants around it. (The concrete we poured in the center of the yard but to the east side of the yard) There was also the garden area where Laura and her granddaughter planned to plant flowers and vegetables together. Finally, there was the landscaped area with the dry stream bed and ornamentals. The west side yard is just mocha lava rock. This is a good place to store large items that will weather well. The yard could also be very attractive at night, but they have a streetlight that shines into their yard, which reduces the effect of the lights. This is something to consider when contemplating adding lights.
Laura was not here for half of the job. She had a planned vacation that could not be changed. However, I called her to keep her updated. She expressed an anxiousness to get back to see the yard. I spoke to her the day after her arrival, and she loves it, which I knew she would. I love it, but it is just nice to hear it from the customer. Her favorite part is the raised planter beds. Normally, we put planter beds to one side of the yard or the other, and not in the center. If we place them in the center, it breaks up the cohesiveness of the yard. However, Laura was looking forward to just walking off the patio and planting and cutting flowers with her granddaughter. The garden boxes are nicely built and are currently planted with bulbs, flowers and a few vegetables. All my foremen are very good at building nice, durable garden boxes. Initially this area was going to be for lawn, as that is how we submitted it to the H.O.A., but the more Laura thought about it, the more the garden boxes won out. She wanted an activity that she and her granddaughter could do together.
Though the landscape is only 2 weeks old, it is still very welcoming and attractive, yet it looks very young through the camera. I find it hard to duplicate in picture what you can see in person. The naked eye just sees more depth and dimension than the camera. The camera takes great pictures, but they are “flat.” The upside of Laura’s yard is its size, which for many is just the contrary. I was able to use all my favorite full sun plants. Often the yards can only fit 50% or 70% of my favorites, but this yard was able to use them all. My favorites consist of plants that bloom throughout the growing season. For fall going into winter when the blooms are ending, I rely on fall color turning plants. Most of these plants are deciduous, they lose their leaves, but a few of them do keep their leaves. The heights we use are between 2’ to 3 1⁄2’ feet. If we need plants to hide the fence, then we select plants that grow 4’ to 5’ft., but all the plants are easy to maintain.
With a yard of this size, most people would shrink back because of the yard work they have experienced in their past yards. However, that will not be true with this yard, or any yard we do. All older landscapes have the same plants. Many of the yards we re-do seem to be non-creatively planned, and have Photinias (sometimes called Red Tips), Ligustrum (Wax Leaf Privets), Escalloninas, Indian Hawthrone, Viburnum, Fringe flower, etc. These are tough plants, and are great for the mall, but they do not belong in homes. Therefore, with the plant selections we have today, the homeowner should not fear the work from a larger than normal yard.
By Arthur Navarrette Executive Care Landscaping
Finally, gardeners who like a fall/ winter garden, I hope you have started your garden already. We planted ours in the end of September and are now harvesting from it. We planted Sweet Chard, various varieties of lettuce, radishes, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, green onions and carrots. We also have
chickens, and they love eating the leaves of these veggies- especially the cauliflower and broccoli. As these specific
vegetables grow, the lower leaves begin to yellow for lack of sunlight. Before that happens, I pick them off and feed them to the chickens. It’s a great way to have a healthy garden with good air circulation and healthy chickens. Until next time, which will be Christmas, have a great Thanksgiving. Good Gardening, Arthur
Welcome to our January issue. As the year comes to an end and a new one begins how are you feeling? Did the year go well, or was the year a struggle? I truly hope it went well given the year. I know that it was a tough one.
Some of us lost our jobs, while others kept their job and others were super busy. It was a very mixed bag. If this coming year proves to be more of the same, we should think about what lessons we can take from this past year to make us stronger individuals. Adversity is not bad. What makes it good or bad is how we deal with it. When I got fired from my job at a wholesale nursery back in 1988, I had a young family and a house payment. I walked out of the office not knowing what I was going to do. However, being a student of the Bible, I knew verses, and I had memorized many of them. One story stood out and really spoke to me. It’s in 1 Samuel 25, and to sum it up, it speaks of God’s protection over David. Despite the adversity, God would see to it that David would succeed and prosper. There are many stories in the scriptures like this, and they all are meaningful. Though no one likes to be fired, I saw how God opened doors for me despite it, and I no longer fear it. I know that God is able to provide, and He can do the same for you. When we come to Him for help, He is faithful. Some 33 years later, and with a lot of hard work, Executive Care has gained the respect and appreciation of the communities we serve, and I as the owner am so grateful for that.
This year as mentioned has been a tough year for many, and that is true for me as well. My mom fell July 6th and broke her hip. Until her passing Sept.22, I would fly down weekly to Orange County to tend to her care. As she stabilized, it became every other week with daily phone calls. At 90 years of age, it took a bit for her to become stable. I jokingly told mom that I knew the flight attendants on a first name basis. Through that time, there was such a demand on my time and my energy. I helped manage
mom’s care both in person and over the phone, as well as run Executive Care. Our clients are so great and understood what I was going through. Many had or were currently experiencing the same. My men also are so well trained that as long as I had jobs ready for them and explained the goal, they knew what to do. A verse that was never far from my mind during this time, which gave me strength, is one of the Ten Commandments. In Exodus 20:12 it says, “Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.” Jesus repeats this in the New Testament but adds to it by saying “so that it may go well with you, and it is the first commandment with a promise.” I knew God would honor my effort, and that my actions pleased Him. It was an honor for me to care for my mom, and to see to her care. I was honored to take her for a “spin” in her wheelchair and pay a ton of money to have her in a room next to a patio garden. I would take her on a tour of the garden and show off by naming all the botanical names of the plants. This impressed her to no end, and allowed her to sit in the sun, which felt so good to her. We take the little things like sitting in the sun for granted. It was a tough time for sure, but also strengthening because I knew I was doing the right thing. The celebration ceremony of her life was the toughest part. I gave the message, and between laughter at some of her sayings and holding back the tears, the message was delivered and appreciated.
There is a saying that says adversity introduces a man or a woman to themselves. It shows you what you are made of. I have had much opportunity to meet myself, probably more than I wanted to. Sometimes I am very pleased with who I have met, which is a credit to the Lord’s work in my life, and other times not, (there is still unfinished business). Since life is a journey and the journey prepares us for our destination, it’s the travel that counts. Through humility, (which is so counter cultural) and
loving the truth, I am being made ready for the destination. Here are some very beautiful sayings to mediate upon this season… some are religious and some not.
“Always remember that your present situation is not your final one, as diamonds are made beautiful through precise cutting, and rocks smoothed and beautified through the constant flow of water, so too is the human soul. Adversity if received correctly beautifies the soul.”
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.” (Proverbs 3:5&6 is my life verse, but I will share it with you 😉
“Forgive people in your life, even those who are not sorry for their action. Holding on to anger and bitterness only hurts you, not them. Bitterness is like carrying a corpse on your back, eventually the decay kills you as well. Get free while you still can! ”
“I’m thankful for my struggles because without them I would not have stumbled across my strengths.”
This one is a little too me focused for my comfort, but I share it for those who are of this mindset. If I was to rewrite this, I would write it like this:
“I’m thankful for my struggles because it shows me my need of God; a Loving Father who is ever so eager to intervene in my life. He uses struggles to bring me to Him. He is a relationship seeking God and I find Him more in my struggles than in the good times. And because of Him, I find an inner strength that I would not have found as I do Life with Him.”
I end with these sayings, which I sincerely hope brought some comfort and courage as we enter a New Year. I am grateful that we can be of different mindsets but still appreciate and learn from each other as we go through life; not giving a hand out, but a hand up as we all can use some help from time to time.
God Bless you and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year (There is a more faith-based article on my website, I would encourage you to read it – Thank you).
Finally, I have published a book called Life (really origin title huh?) it can be ordered from Amazon and has a Lighthouse Tower on a blue cover. (Lighthouse’s have special meaning to me) I also write a monthly devotional called Vida4U (Vida is life in Spanish). It is faith based, and I jokingly tell my clients that if anything can be rattled inside, Vida will rattle it, however it is delivered in love. If you are interested, just send me an email requesting to be added to our monthly email (arthur@executivecareinc.com).
Welcome to the February/March edition. I trust you are well. To help me stay well, I take a set of vitamins, that though probably won’t cure me, will help strengthen my immune system. If you would like to know my regime, just email me. I find this combination very helpful. I found out about it listening to several well-known doctors.
We have continued to landscape through the winter, however slowly. Several of my men went to visit family for extended periods of time which dropped us down to 2 partial landscape crews and 1 maintenance crew. By the time you read this article, all my “hombres” will be back.
The yard featured in this article was completed three years ago. We featured it a couple months after completion, but not since. I am anxious to show you the growth, even though the trees remain deciduous. If you focus on the before picture, you will see that it’s a sizable lawn with a definite slope to it. Why do we make the distinction between front and back yards? It is because the goal of each is different. The front yard needs curb appeal. We want the home to stand out among the other homes. Many homes stay with what the builder installed, which is very vanilla, and does not express the taste of the owners or the potential that the yard has. When considering design, the front yard is also about getting to the front door in a functional, yet artistic way. The backyard is more family related, so it tends to incorporate design that allows for that. Although we approach both front and back with a different mindset, oddly enough the finished products are very similar. There is no substitute for beauty, and it needs to be part of every landscape.
Our clients, Benjamin and Kathi, have a large family, and a large family means a lot of friends. A lot of traffic requires easy access to the front door. There were two other aspects that needed consideration as well. The driveway is a shared driveway with their neighbor, so there could be no parking on it. Another concern was when backing the cars out of the garage there was not enough space to turn around and drive up the driveway. They needed to back all the way up the hill to the street. This was a hassle. We needed to change that and create more space so they could have room to turn while backing out, and then drive forward up the driveway. To do that we needed to remove soil from the hill and then build a wall to contain it. It was a bit of a job, but it turned out really nice and has been a big help for them.
Getting people to the front door has several means, but only one way that is functional and artistic, especially considering the length that the walk/steps needed to be. Wood would need to be replaced. Concrete is too commercial, and it would not look natural within the landscape, so we chose steps out of stone. It is the most expensive way to go, especially when you factor in shipping cost, but there was nothing better. I presented them with the options, and they were excited about the stone steps, and okay with the extra cost. The rock yard I purchased from had a connection in Utah, and they had inventory. It was perfect, and the “Buff” color of the steps worked great into the overall theme and color of the home. The steps were heavy – about 80 to 100 pounds each. It took two men to set them. Thank goodness for our tractor that brought them up the hill!
Once we completed the steps, we were able to start the landscape. Hillsides are always challenging, and this one was no different. Our normal procedure for the start of the landscape phase of any job is tilling in fresh topsoil blend, creating mounds and then adding boulders (not all hills allow us to do this). These were the first steps prior to the plants. Prior to completing this, I invited Benjamin and Kathi to tour Green Acres Roseville with me – something that I really enjoy doing with our clients. From here you can see the results. However, I want to highlight the sitting area. We created it for their morning enjoyment. Their home is the last one on the street up in Auburn, so it is fairly private, and the surrounding environment is really nice and restful.
This is the first yard we are showing this year, and by doing so I in no way am wanting to imply that we are only interested in big yards. We are most happy to help with any size. If I show an average size yard, then people with bigger yards wonder if we can do big yards. By starting off showing a bigger yard, I want potential customers with larger than average yards to know that we do large yards, but at the same time if we do larger, we can easily handle and are happy to do so smaller yards. My personal goal is just to be able to help and get us outside to enjoy the beauty of Creation.
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Gardeners get ready because spring is coming. We are still harvesting from our winter garden that I have for the men and I at the shop. I love having my grandkids with me and telling them to pick some lettuce, Sweet Chard or Broccoli, etc. It connects them to life, as opposed to a grocery store. Prepare your ground for March planting unless you have cold frames and can then start in February.
Welcome to our May article. I hope you are well. It seems that Covid is becoming a thing of the past. I see more lips and smiles, and I see many more cars out on the road. It was only two years ago that I and a few contractors were the only ones out. It definitely was different, and a little eerie. Though traffic is not fun for anyone, I would rather see traffic than not. I now have a whole new attitude towards traffic. It means things are getting back to normal, and that’s good. Now let’s talk about this month’s landscape.
This style of a yard is not for everyone, especially if you have kids. With kids, we would do a whole different type of landscape. However, if you are single, have kids almost grown, or are retired and done with all the yardwork, you may want to consider this style of landscape. It is colorful, drought smart, very low maintenance and yet it is still inviting. Our featured landscape. We completed the project in October 2020 and the “before” picture is really the just completed picture. Though it is still a young landscape (about a year if you exclude the last two winter months, I want to set expectations for what a new landscape should look like, as well as a periods throughout the years to watch it mature. I will probably revisit it in about 1 to 2 years.
Prior to what you see now, this was the typical landscape. It was all lawn with plants along the border. The job is in Sun City Lincoln, and it is for a client who enjoys looking out into his landscape and doing some light trimming while enjoying the sun. Last year he was in a boot due to foot surgery. He could not mow, and with the prior landscape, he would have had to hire someone. He enjoys sitting at his outdoor table enjoying a cup
of coffee with a friend or doing some personal reading. This type of yard does not tie you down. If a friend calls up and says let’s go out, this style of yard has its benefits. It is not great for children unless you have a park or a school close by.
Developing the concept came from a few questions I asked John. I also listened to his wants. By the time one is living in a retirement community, they normally have a pretty good idea of what they want. This made it easy to come up with a concept that would meet his needs. I enjoy dry stream beds for several reasons. They reduce plant maintenance, bring in a high-end view of the landscape (when done correctly), and give an added dimension of what is in nature, though in nature it has water. Additionally, it looks great at night with the proper placement of night lights. I see so many dry stream beds that look like nothing more than cobble placed on the ground in a linear pattern. There is no depth or real design, and I like incorporating boulders into the stream bed. We try to get as close to nature as possible, just without the water. A real stream bed adds another dimension of sound and beauty, but the maintenance and added cost (on top of the cost of the landscape) makes it undesirable for most of our clients. “Make believe” is just fine.
As most of you know, everything about the landscape leading up to the plants is important. Preparing the ground with amendments, mounding for dimension and depth (no flat landscapes), boulders, and dry stream are all part of a well- executed landscape. However, if the selection of plants fails, the whole job fails. I have seen other landscapers try to emulate our work. It’s easy to tell that it’s not our work, but it becomes really
apparent from the plant selection. This is where people wanting landscapes need to wise up a bit. Plants are so different, both in appearance, growth rate and size, sun preference, irrigation needs etc. Some look good together and others do not. Some are high maintenance, and some are not. Many landscapers do not know these differences, so it is up to the homeowner to be well-studied. Spending time at Green Acres, reading and researching plant height, water needs, sun light etc., is critical to ensure that you get a good job. I hate saying this to you, but it should be up to the landscaper to know his trade, not the homeowner. It’s apparent that this is not the case, and as much as we would like to help everyone, it is not realistic.
Night lights are amazing. Good ones are expensive, but they take a landscape to A+++. There is a peace and tranquility they give, and if you are into entertaining, they extend the evening hours. However, there is a little study that goes behind them. We use solid brass because it adds class, as opposed to aluminum fixtures that are powder coated and fade. However, I would use them if that is all my budget could afford, and then upgrade at a later date. Good fixtures are attractive, but it is more the effect of the light that we are wanting. I have lived by the rule that there is nothing I will add to the landscape if it does not help take the landscape to the next level. This is why we use brass fixtures.
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Finally, gardeners I hope you have your garden beds ready. It’s time to plant. Water frequently, keep the soil moist but not wet. After a couple weeks, increase your watering times to deepen the roots, but water less frequently. At this point it’s okay to let the surface dry out between watering. The goal is to develop deep roots and prepare the crops for the heat of summer. Be liberal with your fertilizer, as if you love salt with your food, but use an organic fertilizer with a 5-5-5 ratio with mycorrhizae (mycorrhizae is a must). I like to add it 1 week before the crops go in, tilling it under with a thorough watering to dissolve it. Because it is organic, it requires the soil biology to break it down and make it available for the plants.
Welcome to our June edition. I trust the year is going well, I know it’s going fast, as it always does. Now with school out, we have the concern of keeping our underaged kids busy. This can be a challenge. I have put our granddaughter in several classes offered by the City of Roseville, and Breakaway Classes offered by all the Bayside Church campuses. Other churches have similar programs as well. It is a good, and safe alternative.
It is not often that we come across an all-shade opportunity to landscape. Normally it’s morning shade and afternoon sun, or vice versa, but this job truly has filtered shade all day. The sun passes through the canopy here and there, as it moves over the top of the Red Oak. It is a very nice and large specimen tree. The leaves will be time consuming to pick up in the fall, but that is only for a couple months. A small price to pay for some nice shade.
Prior to us landscaping, this area was lawn. This always concerns me because trees in lawns tend to be shallow rooted and are typically the trees that go down in the winter, unless they tap into deeper water sources. I believe this is what has occurred with this tree, as well as others in the neighborhood. The levee is right behind the home, so judging by its size, as well as the size of the other trees, I do believe they have tapped into the underground water table. Nonetheless, since we are changing the means of receiving a percentage of its water, we created a separate irrigation valve/station just for the three trees in the yard. A bubbler system will run about 3 hours every 8 to 15 days, depending upon the season. Aside from the deep watering, the trees will also pick up water from the drip irrigation. This is probably similar to what they received from the lawn.
Prior to adding the bubbler system for the tree, which occurred after planting the plants, we began our normal process of amending the soil with our special blend. We seek to add about 3 inches to the top of the earth and then till it in, amending the first 6 inches. Since 5/gal. and 15/gal. plants go deeper, we amend the rest as we plant the plants. From here, we continue to follow our pattern of creating mounds, and sometimes create a dry stream bed. The stream beds tend to “class up” the landscape when done correctly but does just the opposite when done incorrectly. Next, we add the boulders (we work with three types). This is our signature and it’s how we prepare the canvas of the earth for the “ALL STARS” – the plants. Because of my years in growing plants, my knowledge of plants is pretty good, and we are able to use a nice variety of appropriate plants, which is also part of our signature. Because of what I just shared, we tend to be a bit more pricey. However, there are times I am surprised at the price people pay for what I would consider a homeowner’s landscape and not a supposed “professional landscaper.” This was the case for this particular project.
We were not the first landscape contractor hired for this project. Our client Tom had hired another company prior to hiring us. This other “landscaper” took 3 months to remove the lawn, lay a paver patio and build a wall, which we corrected and then completed. I witnessed the same thing these last months when we went to visit our daughter and son-in-law to go to their church each Sunday. It must have taken that landscaper about 3 months as well to do a yard about half the size of Tom’s, and when completed, it didn’t look like much. What they presented as their work for that time we could have completed in 4 to 5 days and done a far better job.
I asked Tom why he didn’t call us first, and he said we sounded expensive. Although we never spoke, I guess our name, Executive Care, must have made him think we are more expensive. However, he regrets now not calling. We finished his landscape and corrected the wall in 2 weeks, and both he and his wife love it. In his neighborhood, many people walk, and he has received numerous compliments on the landscape, which will only become more attractive as it matures.
It’s not often that I share what I just shared, (I do not like to talk about us because I prefer our clients and our work to do that) but having experienced and seen several landscapes completed poorly, I wanted to share a word of caution with you. Our waits are long, but it is better than getting a landscape that you are not pleased with, or one in which you must hassle the landscaper to get it done. If you absolutely can’t wait, call me first, and then depending upon your circumstances (you have a wedding, or a graduation coming etc.) I’ll see what I can do.
Choosing plants for Tom was fun. I love shade landscapes as I mentioned. You can mix so many cool plants. The only problem is that they cannot handle the afternoon sun. (coastal would be okay) I recently saw another shade landscape that we completed about five years ago, with our clients Bob and Regina. An appointment I had recently was just up the street from them, so afterwards I went to go see it. I featured it about 5 years ago when we had just completed it. The comparison between new and mature is striking. It is so attractive that I wanted to share it. Tom’s landscape will be similar to this in about 3 years, but this allows you to get a feel for a mature all- shade landscape.
Gardeners, your summer crops should be planted by now and growing. I have raised gardens for myself and the men, and we have an assortment of vegetables. They are all too young to produce yet, but the squash is just beginning to produce, and I have been harvesting the lettuce for couple of months now. It will soon start to get tough and bitter as we get warmer, so if you have any, harvest it soon. As always THANK YOU for reading, and until next time – good gardening, but leave the landscaping to us please. Thank you.
Welcome to our Summer edition. I trust the year is going well, I know it’s going fast, as it always does. Now with school out, we have the concern of keeping our underaged kids busy. This can be a challenge. I have put our granddaughter in several classes offered by the City of Roseville, and Breakaway Classes offered by all the Bayside Church campuses. Other churches have similar programs as well. It is a good, and safe alternative.
It is not often that we come across an all-shade opportunity to landscape. Normally it’s morning shade and afternoon sun, or vice versa, but this job truly has filtered shade all day. The sun passes through the canopy here and there, as it moves over the top of the Red Oak. It is a very nice and large specimen tree. The leaves will be time consuming to pick up in the fall, but that is only for a couple months. A small price to pay for some nice shade.
Prior to us landscaping, this area was lawn. This always concerns me because trees in lawns tend to be shallow rooted and are typically the trees that go down in the winter, unless they tap into deeper water sources. I believe this is what has occurred with this tree, as well as others in the neighborhood. The levee is right behind the home, so judging by its size, as well as the size of the other trees, I do believe they have tapped into the underground water table. Nonetheless, since we are changing the means of receiving a percentage of its water, we created a separate irrigation valve/station just for the three trees in the yard. A bubbler system will run about 3 hours every 8 to 15 days, depending upon the season. Aside from the deep watering, the trees will also pick up water from the drip irrigation. This is probably similar to what they received from the lawn.
Prior to adding the bubbler system for the tree, which occurred after planting the plants, we began our normal process of amending the soil with our special blend. We seek to add about 3 inches to the top of the earth and then till it in, amending the first 6 inches. Since 5/gal. and 15/gal. plants go deeper, we amend the rest as we plant the plants. From here, we continue to follow our pattern of creating mounds, and sometimes create a dry stream bed. The stream beds tend to “class up” the landscape when done correctly but does just the opposite when done incorrectly. Next, we add the boulders (we work with three types). This is our signature and it’s how we prepare the canvas of the earth for the “ALL STARS” – the plants. Because of my years in growing plants, my knowledge of plants is pretty good, and we are able to use a nice variety of appropriate plants, which is also part of our signature. Because of what I just shared, we tend to be a bit more pricey. However, there are times I am surprised at the price people pay for what I would consider a homeowner’s landscape and not a supposed “professional landscaper.” This was the case for this particular project.
We were not the first landscape contractor hired for this project. Our client Tom had hired another company prior to hiring us. This other “landscaper” took 3 months to remove the lawn, lay a paver patio and build a wall, which we corrected and then completed. I witnessed the same thing these last months when we went to visit our daughter and son-in-law to go to their church each Sunday. It must have taken that landscaper about 3 months as well to do a yard about half the size of Tom’s, and when completed, it didn’t look like much. What they presented as their work for that time we could have completed in 4 to 5 days and done a far better job.
I asked Tom why he didn’t call us first, and he said we sounded expensive. Although we never spoke, I guess our name, Executive Care, must have made him think we are more expensive. However, he regrets now not calling. We finished his landscape and corrected the wall in 2 weeks, and both he and his wife love it. In his neighborhood, many people walk, and he has received numerous compliments on the landscape, which will only become more attractive as it matures.
It’s not often that I share what I just shared, (I do not like to talk about us because I prefer our clients and our work to do that) but having experienced and seen several landscapes completed poorly, I wanted to share a word of caution with you. Our waits are long, but it is better than getting a landscape that you are not pleased with, or one in which you must hassle the landscaper to get it done. If you absolutely can’t wait, call me first, and then depending upon your circumstances (you have a wedding, or a graduation coming etc.) I’ll see what I can do.
Choosing plants for Tom was fun. I love shade landscapes as I mentioned. You can mix so many cool plants. The only problem is that they cannot handle the afternoon sun. (coastal would be okay) I recently saw another shade landscape that we completed about five years ago, with our clients Bob and Regina. An appointment I had recently was just up the street from them, so afterwards I went to go see it. I featured it about 5 years ago when we had just completed it. The comparison between new and mature is striking. It is so attractive that I wanted to share it. Tom’s landscape will be similar to this in about 3 years, but this allows you to get a feel for a mature all- shade landscape.
Welcome to the July and August edition of TheHomeMag.
I hope everyone’s summer has gone well. It seems like the less I listen to the news, the happier I am. I will check in from time to time, and it doesn’t seem like much has changed. The Democrats blame the Republicans, and the Republicans blame the Democrats. I am oversimplifying I know, and there are times that there are very good reasons to oppose the other side. If my company, or any company for that matter ran like the government, there would soon be no company. It is in each company’s best interest to work together, and to get along for a common goal. I guess those in government lost sight of their mission. Whether you are Democratic, Republican or Independent, our prosperity and well-being should be the common goal, because that’s why we elected them. Unfortunately, this is not happening, and sadly, we all lose.
Now let’s talk about something uplifting. The job we are going to discuss was such a fun job. Our client’s, Rick and Mary, saw eye to eye on almost everything as we went through the decisions that we needed to make. It made my job easier. The job became so much more than what they had originally envisioned. I am grateful that they trusted my vision as we went through the phases. You will see what I mean in the photos. They wanted a “no lawn” landscape but wanted it to be sharp. Prior to the change, the landscape was just ordinary. When we met, Rick presented me with a hand drawn sketch, which emphasized an island in the center of color surrounded by synthetic turf. I liked the concept, but I cautioned him that we were going to waste a lot of expensive synthetic turf to honor that island, as well as a half-moon shaped lawn in back. Rick still wanted to
move forward. Part of my job is to point out and inform clients of any possible problems and extra costs. Once I have informed the client, I am good with whatever the client decides. Now let’s talk about synthetic turf. Synthetic turf only comes in 15’ foot width, but you can order any length you want. It’s always going to be 15’ wide unless we splice it, which is doable, but making the seam disappear takes some work. However, by keeping the width to 15’ft., we did not have to splice, and it was now more a matter of simply laying the synthetic turf over the design I had painted out and cutting off the excess. The best part was both Rick and Mary were good with the width.
Take a look at the left side (see before photo). Rick just wanted us to remove the lawn and replace it with groundcover, however, there was no soil, and it was all tree roots. The only solution was to create a raised planter bed, so we could add more soil. By the time the roots of the new plants started to compete with the tree roots, they would be fairly established. However, adding the block to only one side of the yard left the overall design unbalanced. It was too heavy on the left. I shared my concern, both in design as well as the additional cost with Rick and Mary, and they were good with both. At this point, they now could see my vision, so it was much easier to spend the extra money. To this day, spending client’s money makes me nervous. I know in landscaping not all the steps are necessarily seen. You cannot foresee every difficulty you are going to encounter, and so the final cost is not always known. Also, in true design, the landscape begins to take on a life of its own. As you see elements coming together and complimenting each other, you see something, an idea that you did not see earlier. In starting
a landscape, it is very important to have at least an extra $5K in reserve, and $8K would even be better. I worry much less when I know I am not going to hurt my clients financially. I am freer to design and bring out the absolute best. Though the plants are still young, as we finished the landscape, the yard became a real eye catcher. I just spoke to Rick and Mary while writing this article, and they told me they still receive lots of compliments. (we finished in April)
The next stage was the plants. Personally, I do not like designs on paper because they lack in demonstrating what the finished product will look like. Even the 3D pictures, although they are better, are still not realistic. I know H.O.A’s, require them, but my preference is once everything is removed, I can then paint the new design with marker paint. Spaces, ratios and distances from house to pool or property line, or from established tree(s), can easily be seen and adjusted accordingly. I have been in many yards where had this method been followed, the patio would have not outsized the yard, or vice versa. Clients tell me that their hardscape is either too much, or not enough, but they do not have the finances now to change it. It frustrates me. For the plants, we tour Green Acres, as I have mentioned before. Plants are second nature to me, having grown them for many years. Touring clients is always fun, and is a break from the stress of running a business. It’s also a chance to better get to know my clients, and vice versa.
Finally, the crown jewel of any landscape are the night lights. I love using them because they take the landscape to a new level and extend the evening use of the yard. They are not cheap because we use solid brass. The most common metal is
aluminum that has been powdered coated and tends to fade after a couple years. Other metals are used, especially if a modern look is wanted. Titanium is used for that look, but the cost is double that of brass, if not more. It’s the light from the fixture we want, though a general rule of mine is that nothing goes into the landscape that does not take it to the next level. If the plants are positioned and used correctly, you can minimize the appearance of the brass light if that is a concern.
Gardeners, you should be harvesting your vegetables now. Keep them fed monthly to keep them producing, and to help them stay healthy and fight off the bugs.
