Thoughts of Grace

Cleave – to adhere firmly

I feel like these thoughts need a disclaimer: This is a declaration against the enemy of our souls that delights in discouraging, lying to, separating and destroying God’s people.

Because sometimes ” your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 1Peter 5:8 ” even at Cozy Acres.

[Therefore beware] brethren, take care, lest there be in any one of you a wicked, unbelieving heart [which refuses to cleave to, trust in, and rely on Him], leading you to turn away and desert or stand aloof from the living God. Hebrews 3:12 Amplified

Cleave to adhere firmly and closely or loyally and unwaveringly

We cannot be cleaving
If we hold each other at arms’ distance.
If we just gaze and then look away quickly
If holding hands feels like a handshake
If in our minds we are making a distance
If we question
If we doubt
If we hide behind our hurts
Until a thought becomes

a withdraw
a space
a wall

It’s time to gird ourselves with truth, not lies
It’s time to cast out the stones
It’s time to rebuke the destroyer
It’s time to march around the city

for how ever many times it takes
to
bring
the
walls
down.

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. James 4:8

Let love be without dissimulation.
(disguising (one’s intentions, for example) under a feigned appearance.)
Abhor that which is evil;
cleave to that which is good. Romans 12:9

( Picture from Animal Zoo Park
http://animalszooguru.blogspot.com/2010/11/lions-roaring-pics-roaring-lion.html )

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on June 30, 2011 at 12:22 pm Comments (2)

The Simple Woman’s Daybook, June 28

TODAY is June 28, 2011
Outside my window…rain, rain, rain, here in Sacramento, my husband, the Farmer, says the weeds are getting fed

I am thinking…about different books I want to read. I was just reading ‘what’s on your bookshelf’ many ideas.

I am thankful for…the cooler weather, even if it brought the rain.

What I am learning … after attending the memorial service Saturday of my nephew, I was shown many different aspects I didn’t know, what do people see when they look at me?

From the kitchen…the Farmer is trying out new coffee press to make a strong coffee ‘tea’ that is then diluted and refrigerated for iced coffee or heat it up in the microwave.

I am wearing…almost worn out denim skirt and flowered t-shirt, no shoes

I am creating…a dress for Miss A (daycare child) is cut out

I am going… day by day

I am reading…Alice in Wonderland, I have never read it before.

I am hoping…

I am hearing…audio book, The Banker, by Dick Francis and raindrops

Around the house…laundry to be put away

One of my favorite things…Yellow roses

A few plans for the rest of the week: two days off, no daycare, maybe I can get over to the long arm machine and finish quilts in a pile

Here is picture I am sharing…

Golden Celebration gift for 2010 wedding anniversary

Scripture… They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end. Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven. Psa 107:27-30

Join Simple Woman’s Daybook and me to pause and reflect on Tuesdays

http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

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on June 28, 2011 at 6:19 pm Comments (2)

Five Minute Friday, June 24, 2011, Wonder

The end of the week – a good time for few words.

Want to take five minutes with me and see which ones bubble to the surface?

http://thegypsymama.com/2011/06/five-minute-friday-wonder/

Wonder — to think or speculate curiously: to be filled with admiration, amazement, or awe;

Go……

i wonder at creation

Look at all the different leaves, flowers, would just 2 or 3 kinds do the same thing apparently not

Look at all the animals, why the emu, the mole, the rat

Look at all the fish some bright, some sightless

Look at all the colors, it could have all been black and white

Look at the people, oh the differences to behold

Look at the seasons, steadfast and dependable

Look at God’s love, how wonderful, all creation tells me, I did this just for your enjoyment

“This is the day, I have made enjoy and rejoice and be glad in the present of my Love, your Father.”

stop.

Is it any wonder that I Love Him…..?

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on June 24, 2011 at 8:58 am Comments (1)

Simple Woman’s Daybook, June 21,2011

TODAY is June 21, 2011
Outside my window…Hot sunshiny clear blue skies and cuttings from grapevines that are growing bright green leaves

I am thinking…To thank God in all is to bend the knee in allegiance to God Who alone knows all. Ann Voskamp

I am thankful for…air conditioning and fans

From my learning rooms…recent message to me: Pray Hard. Life is Short. Pray for solutions.

From the kitchen…My mom’s Burger Beans, simplified but just as yummy; and first fresh zucchini and yellow crooked neck squash from the garden.

I am wearing…jean skirt/ red t-shirt

I am creating…a knitted afghan based on variation of log cabin pattern, next to last section almost finished, then final border section.

I am going…to have to be very careful with finances the rest of this month.

I am reading… The Choice by Nicholas Sparks

I am hoping…(first thing in my mind) cooler weather tomorrow!

I am hearing…the air conditioner roar, yes

Around the house…not much, retirement has its benefits.

One of my favorite things…coffee ice cream with chocolate syrup

A few plans for the rest of the week:…Wed.-watching grandsons (3), Friday – dinner out with in-town and out of town family, Sat, Memorial service for nephew (49)victim of motorcycle/deer accident,

Here is picture I am sharing…

The Squash. melon, cucumber part of the Farmer’s garden.

Scripture…Ecclesiastes 3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

Join Simple Woman’s Daybook and me to pause and reflect on Tuesdays

http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

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on June 21, 2011 at 5:58 pm Comments (3)

Hidden in the Cleft of the Rock

Could it be that the darkest places in our lives are when God puts us in the cleft of the rock and then He passes by to do the work that needs to be done and when se come out of the cleft we see how abundantly above He answered our prayers and worked things together in a way so ‘much higher’ than our thoughts?

Yes, the cleft is a hard place, it is rock. It is dark. It is a dead end place we cannot see what is ahead. It is also a place of shelter. A place of refuge, A place of safety, A place of protection. It is a place by God. It is a place whose foundation is a rock. It is a place where God’s hand supports my leaning weak frame. It is the center of God’s will.

And Moses said unto the LORD, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight. Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.
(God)And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.
(Moses)And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.
And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.
(Moses)And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.
(God)And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen. Exodus 33:12-23

Close To Him
God never would send you the darkness, If He felt you could bear the light;
But you would not cling to His guiding hand If the way were always bright;
And you would not care to walk by faith Could you always walk by sight.

So He sends you the blinding darkness, And the furnace of sevenfold heat;
‘Tis the only way, believe me, To keep you close to His feet;
For ’tis always so easy to wander When our lives are glad and sweet.

Then nestle your hand in your Father’s, And sing, if you can, as you go;
Your song may cheer someone behind you Whose courage is sinking low.

(picture – http://acts2gathering.com/sos-final/rock-cleft )

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on June 18, 2011 at 7:00 pm Leave a Comment

The Simple Woman’s Daybook – June 17

TODAY is June 17, 2011

Outside my window…Bright sunshiny clear blue skies and a garden loving this hot weather, I can almost see growth from one day to the next.

I am thinking…how much writing down specific thoughts helps center me.

I am very thankful for… family and friends, especially when news is received of hard health battle beginning.

From my learning rooms… God is reviewing with me His promises of never failing grace.

From the kitchen…my kitchen has kinda been on strike, just making do with leftovers the past couple days, do today on goes the chef’s hat. A bucket of fresh picked yellow crooked-necked squash is on the counter ready to be added to the menu.

I am wearing…black tee and cream skirt, barefoot until time to head out shopping.

I am creating…the quilt from last entry is stalled, I need to do (by tomorrow) a small wall hanging for “Bread and Butter” quilt group using pattern and fabric by Kaye England, a favorite quilter and designer.

I am going…to the grocery store, to Rite Aid, and then to make the rest of today

I am reading…the sequel to A Friday Night Knitting Club, Knit Two by Kate Jacobs. I enjoyed the first book this is the second of three in the series.

I am hoping…the weather isn’t too hot today.

I am hearing…birdsong, because the lawn mower was just turned off as Uncle Bob sweeps the sidewalk.

Around the house…not too bad, a little cluttered, and laundry to be done (soap to be gotten when shopping.)

One of my favorite things…eating breakfast out by myself, taking my time with a good book.

A few plans for the rest of the week: quilt club-Saturday, church services and family for lunch (all 20 of us I think)-Sunday; next week the car needs to be serviced, daycare with little Miss A, kinda of normal stuff, I like normal unexciting.

Here is picture I am sharing…

This morning’s picking, yellow crooked-necked squash, thanks to the Giver of increase and the Farmer.

Scripture: I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 1Corinthians 3:6

Join Simple Woman’s Daybook and me to pause and reflect on ~~Tuesdays~~ or whenever I can get to writing my thoughts.

http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

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on June 17, 2011 at 10:46 am Leave a Comment

One Thousand Gifts and a Scripture – 6

http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/06/when-youre-thinking-its-time-to-give-up

I’m finding many things to be thankful for at Cozy Acres, join me as I take a walk around the yard.

49. We have shade screens on these two large windows and the one on the south end of the trailer.

50. Miss A enjoys every thing about “Meow” even to snitching a bit of kibbles.

51. This Cat aka “Meow” or as I like to call him ‘Seymore Toes’ can get comfortable anywhere and anytime.

52. I Love freckles on eggs.

53. First Fruits from the Garden June 13, 2011

(But , you know, they are a little large, not sure of the quality)

Yep, almost all woody!

So the chickens will get the first fruit scraps, on the left and the Farmer will get the First Fruit bounty on the right.

53. I didn’t think this coneflower would survive the frost but it did.

54. This wild strawberry likes its new home.

55. Look! a volunteer Hollyhock.

56. I’ve waited two years for this one to bloom!

57. These Iris are loving it here. They have doubled in size since transplanted.

58. My geraniums are finding
their new homes.

59. I didn’t take a picture of our new toilet; the old toilet flush mechanism broke. I am really thankful for the new one because is sits about 4 inches higher, now my knees are not under my chin.

60. What God promises He will do!

And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: And I will remember my covenant, Gen 9:12-15

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on June 16, 2011 at 5:12 pm Leave a Comment

Every Day

http://thegypsymama.com/2011/06/five-minute-friday-every-day/

Yes, it is Saturday, but I had to ponder this topic and my thoughts finally jelled this morning. The exercise is to write for 5 minutes, just open up and let it flow; sometimes the flow is fresh and sometimes something surfaces that needs a little work. Whatever shows up, it is good.

EVERY DAY

Last year was a season of many changes, my whole life seemed to be turned upside down. My financial foundation crumbled, almost everything we had worked for gone, March 12, 3010 felt like a funeral had taken place.

Even so:

Every day I wake up and I have these treasures:

EVERY DAY: I will load thee with benefits Psalms 68:19

EVERY DAY: I will hold your right hand Isaiah 41:13

EVERY DAY: The Lord is my Shepherd Psalms 23

EVERY DAY: I will send a comforter John 14:16

EVERY DAY: My peace I will leave with you John 14:27

EVERY DAY: Let not your heart be troubled John 14:1

EVERY DAY: My GRACE is sufficient 2Corinthians 12:9

EVERY DAY: Fear not! Isaiah 41:10

EVERY EVENING: I will never slumber or sleep Psalms 121:4

stop

Scripture references and picture were added after ‘stop’.

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on June 4, 2011 at 11:00 am Comments (1)

Simple Woman Daybook, May 31,2011

FOR TODAY
Outside my window…a garden plot tilled, ready to be planted, partially planted, and because of the recent rain, little weeds sticking their heads up

I am thinking…this is my first entry and it’s kinda fun

I am thankful for…yellow flowers

From the learning rooms…oldest is girl43, boy 39, girl 32, boy 32, my baby girl 26, praying they continue to learn to follow God with their whole hearts.

From the kitchen…vegetable soup with spaghetti sauce as a base

I am wearing…jean skirt and t-shirt

I am creating…a baby quilt (pic below of progress)

I am going…to Bible Study in about 15 minutes

I am reading…The Widow’s Season by Laura Brodie

I am hoping…good reports from the Farmer’s medical tests

I am hearing…an airplane over head, and children’s voice as they gather for Bible Story Time.

Around the house…General stuff and watching day care child, Little Miss A

One of my favorite things…watch the sky as the clouds roll in

A few plans for the rest of the week: more blocks put together for quilt, continue to trust in my Father for the unknowns in our future.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing…

A work in progress. . .

This post idea is from “the simple woman’s day book, where every day is a blank page” http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

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on May 31, 2011 at 7:03 pm Comments (2)

The God who knows secrets

In Daniel 2, we are told the story of King Nebuchadnezzar, who had a very troubling dream. When he awoke he couldn’t remember the dream, so he asked his wise men to tell him the dream and its meaning. Of course, the wise men couldn’t do that, so King Nebuchadnezzar declared he would have them all killed. When Daniel, one of the wise men, heard the king’s declaration, he called a prayer meeting with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

Daniel 2:19-23 Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king’s matter.

God showed Daniel the dream and the interpretation of the dream. Then Daniel was brought before the king.

Daniel 2:26 The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof? Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king; But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these; . . .

Isn’t there comfort in knowing we can serve the God that knows all the secrets of our lives? The secrets I am thinking about are those things of tomorrow, you know, the questions we have. What will happen if. . . What will I do if . . . How can I if. . . We all have these kinds of questions and fears, but we can know the God who knows all the answers. He doesn’t reveal to us the secrets or shine a big flashlight on our dark path so we can see days in the future. He asks us to place our hand in His and walk with Him.

I remember a night; driving in an unfamiliar city going I forget where, It was dark; the street lights few and I couldn’t read the street signs. I don’t have a GPS system, but somehow I had one in the car I was driving (excuse my poor memory). I entered in my destination and keeping one eye on the GPS and the other on the road; I arrived safely.

God is like a super duper GPS. He already has our lives programed for heaven. Our job is not to second guess the system, but to one eye on the Word of God and the other on our goal and trust in the Almighty who has gone the way before us.

Will doubts and fears and questions come? Yes, they will. Then we must determine to continue to trust, no matter what we see or don’t see. We can pray as the father of a young child did:

And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming. And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child.
And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. Mark 9:20-24

Christ didn’t berate, condemn, or ridicule the father for his honest prayer, but Christ healed the child and returned the child to the father, whole.

We can trust the God that revealeth secrets.

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on May 30, 2011 at 1:15 am Leave a Comment

as the Lord commanded

1Kings 17:9-16Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee. So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand. And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die. And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth. And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.

Did God tell this woman ” my prophet will come and ask for bread”?

Or did God ask this woman to be my servant and I will never leave thee?

I think that by her response to Elijah she didn’t know what would happen but she did know the God she served. As she did her morning prayers don’t you think her cry to God was ” O God, you see my need, you know my situation, Lord I’m depending on you to supply, but if you don’t supply I’ll serve you regardless. ” Just as the three Hebrew boys said our God will deliver us but if he doesn’t we will not bow.

Serving God doesn’t come with a detailed plan and explanations of all that is going to happen in our lives. So that we can be prepared and know everything will work out okay. Serving God is a commitment each day to choose Him again and again.

Matthew 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is what God asks and there is no detailed explanation of what “all” entails.

Marriage doesn’t come with instructions either, it is just a commitment better and worse, richer and poorer, sickness and health, choosing each day to love again. We aren’t given any idea about how rich, how poor, how sick, how healthy, how much better, or how much worse. This week (under the sickness and health column) I needed to help The Farmer with a procedure; I did not see it on my list 43 years ago. But the love that started then, that has gone through many of life’s circumstances, that is renewed by choosing helped me. And it wasn’t so bad after all.

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on May 20, 2011 at 4:09 pm Leave a Comment

When Seasons Change

http://thegypsymama.com/2011/05/five-minute-friday-when-seasons-change/

Got five minutes? Let’s write. Let’s write in shades of real and brave and unscripted.
Let’s just write and not worry if it’s just right or not.

When seasons change…………
Monday—–1:00pm biopsy
Tuesday————-feeling fine
Wednesday———feeling good
Thursday————Phone Call ————-
aggressive prostrate cancer.

Our season has changed.

it is still spring

the garden is still being planted

tomato stakes are going in the ground

birds still sing

wind chimes are still ringing

but the season has changed.

NOW—–I am numb

NOW—–I have questions

I don’t know how to put into words.

NOW—–I don’t have any answers.

BUT I CAN STILL TRUST!

I have trusted, I trust today, I will be trusting tomorrow.

a few words from a song that have supported me through many changing seasons:

Yesterday things were different

Today they’re different again.

Jesus never, never changes

Jesus is always the same.

And one of my favorite verses:

Malachi 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not;

therefore the sons of Jacob are not consumed

Thank you.

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on May 20, 2011 at 2:50 pm Comments (3)

Breath Deep, that’s what My Mind read

http://thegypsymama.com/2011/05/five-minute-friday-deep-breath/

It’s Friday Again! I’m trying another 5 minutes of thinking and writing, I guess neither one will hurt very much.

When I saw the prompt ‘ Deep Breath’ and read a few posts, I thought ‘wow’

where can I go with this one:

Take a deep breathe — start:

Breath Deep

Let it out slowly, it’s called a sigh

I know two kinds of sighs

a sigh of acceptance and a sigh of regret.

If I Breath Deep and let out a sigh of acceptance as in “it’s alright” (thank you, Sarah Ban Breathnach)

You take over God

My way is not your way, God

God’s way is best, I will not murmur

You see the end from the beginning

Deu 11:11 But the land, whither ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven:
Deu 11:12 A land which the LORD thy God careth for: the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.

then I find the sighs of regret, sighs of I’m sorry, sighs of ‘I wish I had’ are fewer. . .

I’ll Watch and Pray as I Breath Deep.

Stop

Guess what I read ‘Deep Breath’ and my mind thought ‘Breath Deep;’ that must have been what I needed for today.

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on May 13, 2011 at 3:56 pm Leave a Comment

Cozy Acre Garden 2011

Here are the beginnings of 2011 garden on Cozy Acres:
Last year’s plot being worked:

New plot ripped,plowed, rototilled:

Grape cutting nursery, from cuttings from grapes at Lincoln Avenue:

seedlings added, sprouts up in one week!

Carrots and mixed salad greens:

The shade nursery:

Are you ready?

Marigolds for the row ends

On your mark, get set, GROW!

Watering system, emitters at plant=no weeds

View from the deck:

May the Lord bless the work of the Farmer!

1 Corinthians 3
6. . . but God gave the increase.
7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
8. . . and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.

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on May 11, 2011 at 6:47 pm Leave a Comment

Cozy Acre Garden and tying tomatoes

http://thepioneerwoman.com/homeandgarden/2011/05/growing

For Ree, the pioneer woman

Last year the farmer retired and we had two gardens, one at home and one at the property where we attend church. I’ll show pictures of both.
At the church garden before and working the soil:

Watering system and using grass clippings for mulch

Tomatoes

Squash and cucumbers, yellow lemon and Armenian He used field fencing to train vines on, it worked really well, no more crawling to find cukes

Tomatoes all staked up

The home garden has been working for 12 years, it was a beauty to behold. i can say that since I did very little work in it.
The beginnings (gazebo in back is my chicken pen)