REST AWHILE

 

You may have heard it say, "Busy as a bee." This saying means, "Someone enjoys doing a lot of things and always keeps themselves busy."

Hello God's servant, as a heads up, I am taking a few days of rest from ministry to the people of Bermuda, and the world until after the Bermuda Heritage Holiday. The LORD spoke to me and said, "Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while:" Mark 6:31-32. 

As everyone knows, I am always refreshed after coming out of my garden. Yet, God said, "Go to a solitary place where you can have quietness. Though time is short, and there is a great work to be done, I the Lord, am not pleased to have my servants prolong their seasons of activity that there will not be time for periods of rest, for the study of the Bible, and for communion with me the Almighty God. All this is essential to fortify the soul. This will also place you in a position where you shall receive wisdom, knowledge, and understanding so you will be better able to employ your talents and gifts in the highest account of service. Because even bees need to have times of rest."

Honeybees sleep between 5 & 8 hours a day. Some rest at night when darkness prevents them going out to collect pollen & nectar. Other solitary bees have been photographed sleeping in flowers. Everything on earth need rest. 

"Some make themselves sick by overwork. For these, rest, freedom from care, and a spare diet, are essential to the restoration of health. To those who are brain weary and nervous because of continual labor and close confinement, a visit to the country, where they can live a simple, carefree life, coming in close contact with the things of nature, will be most helpful."

"Ministers, teachers, students, and other brain workers often suffer from illness as the result of severe mental taxation, unrelieved by physical exercise. What these people need is a more active life. Strictly temperate habits, combined with proper exercise, would ensure both mental and physical vigor, and would give power of endurance to all brain workers."

Lastly, great care needs to be exercised in regard to the regulation of hours for sleeping and laboring in all of us. If we will have good health, we must take periods of rest, periods of recreation, periods for contemplation, or meditation. 

Let us take care of ourselves and pray for each other.

By GARDEN MINISTRY

POST-MOTHERS DAY MESSAGE, WE SALUTE ALL MOTHERS

The state of the World’s Mothers 2000 report by Save the Children said, "There is nearly two billion mothers in the world." There are incredible joys and responsibilities of having children and helping them grow and learn in the world today.

Not to overlook the need of good fathers. Today, the world is in need of mothers who are mothers not merely in name but in every sense of the word.

It is safe to say that the distinctive duties of women are more sacred, more holy, than those of man. Today, it is wise for all women to realize the sacredness of her work and in the strength and fear of God take up their life work.

What the mother and fathers are today, that, to a great extent, is what  your children will be in principle. The physical conditions of the mother, their dispositions and appetites, and their mental and moral tendencies will, to a greater or less degree, be reproduced in the children.

My friend, “Life doesn’t come with a manual. It comes with a mother.”  unknown.

The late president of the USA, George Washington, said, "All I am, I owe to my mother.”

Today's message is to give full support to all mother's and to thank God for their high calling. We congratulate you on your lifelong responsibility. As a nation, let us all find ways of supporting our mothers today and every day. To all mothers, my wife Karon Santucci, and my daughter-in-law Kally Santucci. HAPPY POST MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL OF YOU. Blessings, Blessings, Blessings

By GARDEN MINISTRY 

THE IN-DEPTH VEGETABLE AND FLOWER GARDEN GUIDE FOR MAY 2024*

Hello Garden Lovers and friends,

TODAY I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU THE BEST DATES FOR GROWING VEGETABLES AND FLOWERS IN THE MONTH OF MAY IN BERMUDA

NOTE, AS ONE WHO HAS BEEN GARDENING FOR YEARS, I AM USING AN OLD FARMER'S METHOD OF GROWING FOOD.

*This month, we are focusing on Corn.*

Sweetcorn is best eaten as soon after it is picked, as its sweetness declines if you do not harvest it on time. Home-grown corn is far superior to shop-bought corn. Sweet Corn is most successful when grown in long, hot summers. This condition is ideal for sweetcorn as long as the corncobs develop well and ripen fully.

Sweetcorn is not suited to growing in containers, as it’s so tall. If space is limited, you can sow smaller, fast-growing crops such as string beans, lettuce, and spinach between sweetcorn plants – especially those that benefit from a little shade in mid-summer to prevent burning.

Germination is often poor in cooler conditions, so if warmer weather typically arrives later where you are, start seeds off inside to make sure the plants have enough time to grow and ripen. A temperature of 65-70ºF (or 18-21ºC) gives the best results as this will speed up germination so seeds are less likely to rot. Germinating indoors also reduces the risk of mice or other rodents discovering the seeds and eating them.

Don’t be tempted to sow too early, though. Mid to late spring is just fine,

Corn is a hungry plant, so it’s important to enrich beds with lots of organic matter such as garden compost and then follow this up at planting time with a scattering of a balanced general-purpose organic fertilizer.

Don’t plant too close together, or you run the risk of having small corn cobs. You can plant corn anywhere from 12 inches to 30 inches apart. Within the row, it can be eight to twelve inches apart. 

Please watch out for fungal diseases in plants. Consistent moisture will encourage bigger, fatter corn. It is hard to over-emphasize the importance of this in the growth of corn.

This month, we are answering two of our readers' garden questions.

Question: Chaplain Santucci, “Why do leaves curl on tomato plants?”

Answer: Tomato leaf curl can be caused by a variety of things. Bugs are one of the causes of harm. If you don’t see bugs on the underside of the leaves, it’ll either be normal for the leaves to curl or you have a fungus problem. Tomato leaves will curl if growing conditions are not optimum. If it’s too hot and dry, water more. If it’s too wet, water less. You can tell if it’s a fungal problem by looking at the entire plant, especially the leaves. If the leaves are lighter in color than they should be for your variety of tomatoes, you probably have a viral or fungal infection. The same holds true if you have spotting on the leaves. Cut off a small branch and take it to your local nursery to see what they recommend for your area of the country.

Question: Chaplain Santucci, “What vegetables can I grow in partial shade?

Answer: Most vegetables won’t grow well in completely shaded areas. Vegetables need six to eight hours of sun. But there are such vegetables as lettuce, peas, and vegetables from the bean family that will tolerate partial shade in the summer months.

Planting Dates:

These are the best planting days for above-ground vegetables or crops that grow from seed. These are very good dates or highly favorable dates for May.

May 11th 

May 12th 

These are the second-best planting days to grow vegetables or crops that grow from seeds above the ground.

May 21st

May 22nd 

These are the third planting days this month to grow vegetables or crops that grow from seeds above the ground.  

May 3th

May 4th 

These are the best planting days to plant root crops from seed:

May 7th

May 8th

These are the second-best days to plant root crops from seed:

May 18th 

May 19th

May 20th

These days are the best of the best to set onion sets or plant onions from seed.

May 23rd

May 24th

These dates are very good for planting flowers from seed.

May 11th

May 12th

May 18th

May 19th

May 20th

May 21st

May 22nd

These are the best days for cultivating.

May 1st

May 2nd

These are the best days for destroyed weeds

May 16th

May 17th 

This is the second-best day for destroying weeds

May 18th

May 19th

May 20th

Note:

If you would like strength and a bountiful harvest of string beans. Plant string beans on a new moon or a dark moon.

Although May 23rd and 24th are considered non-productive and barren days, these days are good for planting string beans and cucumbers from seed.

Harvest all root crops when the moon is growing old. They will keep better and longer.

A word of advice. As I have said for years, your vegetable garden should produce fresh food for your table all year round. And, the vegetables grown in Bermuda are some of the most delicious and nutritious our island home can produce. So, get out in the open air and turn over your garden today, and you will enjoy the fruit of your labor tomorrow.

The In-depth Vegetable and Flower Garden Guide is a production of GARDEN MINISTRY - Chaplain Dr. Kevin J.T Santucci.

LET'S KEEP THE BALANCE

Did you know that the health of our bodies has an effect on the health of our minds? 

It is said by them of old, "Healthy habits including a healthy environment, diet, and exercise would lead to healthier, clearer thinking." Because when our minds are clear, we can be more in tune with receiving and hearing the message of the word of God and more responsive to its appeal. Secondary, when the mind is clear, we are better able to perform the various duties in life well, without taking off from work because of fatigue or sickness.

According to the Bible and science, there are certain foods that should not find its place on your dinner plate. This is because some foods and drinks overstimulate the mind, causing anxiety to increase. 

This could be one of the reasons why people are suffering from high anxiety and an increase in mental health challenges.

"Today, you’d be hard-pressed to find a person of science that advises against incorporating a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, and legumes into your diet. This is also what God originally intended in helping to keep the mind and the body balance. 

"And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat." Genesis 1:29. 

In addition to what we need to put into our bodies to stay healthy, we should identify according to GOD'S WORD what we should avoid. 

Forty years ago, I read a statement that has helped me over the years.  In fact, this statement has been like a compass in keeping me in good health over these many years. More than the saving of money in growing my own vegetables. More than knowing what's in the food that i'm eating that comes from my own garden. More than anything I may do to try to help myself with the aid of GOD through his WORD. This statement has been most impressive on my mind and most rewarding, which I have followed. 

This is the statement, "Between the mind and the body, there is a mysterious and wonderful relation. They react upon each other. To keep the body in a healthy condition to develop its strength, that every part of the living machinery may act harmoniously, should be the first study of our life. To neglect the body is to neglect the mind. It cannot be to the glory of God for His children to have sickly bodies or dwarfed minds." Mind Character and Personality, vol. 2,  p. 373

SO, WHAT IS THE BRAIN-GUT CONNECTION?

"Modern science has just recently been uncovering how much your brain and gut are interconnected. You have more than 100 million nerve cells lining your gastrointestinal tract. So, if you have ever “gone with your gut” or had a “gut-wrenching” experience, that is the work of your “second brain.” Scientists call this second brain the enteric nervous system (ENS). They are finding that your gastrointestinal (GI) health can have a huge impact on how you think." For more information on these findings, go to: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-brain-gut-connection 

 

Life is about choices. And the choice we make today could lead to our success or our demise in life. May we all choose wisely for our physical, as well as our spiritual being. 

So when the storms, hurricanes, and any other obstacle of life confronters us, we may find ourselves anchored in the LORD and found balance.

AS YOU GO THROUGH YOUR DAY TODAY, REMEMBER, TRUE TEMPERANCE INCLUDES ABSTINENCE, OR ABSTAINING FROM ANYTHING “HURTFUL.” Let's keep the balance. 

By GARDEN MINISTRY - Chaplain Kevin J.T Santucci