Grapevine Bouquet & John 15

Happy September 12th Friends, 

I'm curled up in a blanket on the floor writing to you on this chilly Saturday morning. There was a fresh rain last night and this morning and I can't help but feel autumn coming on.

Last night I clipped off all of the blooms in my garden in order to get a fresh display of blooms in two weeks when I will harvest flowers for our Women's Ministry retreat. I planted a big array of September blooming flowers this year for this purpose. So, knowing that I would need to prune, I decided to put together a fall inspired bouquet with the clippings!

Since it is peak grape season as well and I have some gorgeous jewel toned flowers I decided to make a Grapevine Inspired Bouquet, and I have to say I was overjoyed with the outcome!

Bouquet - Grapevines, Sedum, Burgundy Snapdragons, Dalina Grande Castillo Dahlia, Dahlia (pinkish orange flower), zinnia, smartweed.

My heart was so filled with joy at these colors and so pleased at the display that turned out. The Lord has been drawing me to spend more time with Him lately and today I had this beautiful reminder of just how sweet His presence is.... 

When you're in His presence you feel washed, clean. Oneness with Him spreads his purity upon us. There's a glowing joy. Something of lovely holiness. We need this communion. 

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
— Psalm 16:11

I pray today that you have the opportunity to steal away with you Savior and are filled with fullness of joy!

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunesa so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.”
— John 15: 1-17
Love Shyla