Welcome to our April edition. We are featuring another client this month because Benjamin and Kathleen’s job that we featured last month has not changed much. They live in northern Auburn, which is just a tad cooler than it is here. Therefore, the yard currently does not look much different than February’s photos. We will circle back around and feature this job in April’s edition, so please hold on to February’s article for comparison. For this month I want to feature Ed and Melissa’s front yard landscape. We completed it in September 2017, and it was part of a series of articles named “Being Creative” that we ran in the fall of 2017. It has about a year of growth, if you discount the two winter seasons.
I enjoy keeping up on the yards we do when I am in the area working. I like to see how they are coming along because each landscape to me is like a painting – unique and special and completed for specific clients. I like the before picture that shows the lawn, and the main picture that is almost identical in angle. My favorite is the second picture with a view from the house to the street because of the combinations of features it shows. Though the landscape is just barely coming out of winter, it maintains its charm and curb appeal, which is a true test of a good landscape. It was a fun job. The only time Melissa would come out is when I would bring her out. Some clients are very hands on and come out often, and others feel as though they would be in the way, which is how Melissa felt. I told her that we are working for her, and that she was the boss, and if she didn’t come out, I was going to bring her out. Part of her reason for not coming out was explained to me in our first meeting. They told me they really didn’t have a clue about landscaping or what they wanted. They only knew that they didn’t want lawn and wanted it to be low maintenance. They wanted a pathway from the sidewalk to the front door, and some color.
Most of these requests, except for the pathway, we incorporate into all our designs as it is Not wanting to give up, I felt that maybe if I took Melissa to Green Acres with me to view the plants, she might come up with a more personalized request. However, her reply was that she was so out of her realm, she was afraid she’d be a hindrance to me. She felt more comfortable just having me do it. She had been reading my articles and was confident that the job would go much better if she just let me complete the vision I had for the yard. Because of this, I spent a little extra time asking her questions until I felt I knew her well enough that I could accurately represent her. Her husband Ed’s only concern was for low maintenance. Even though people may not have a clue as to what they want, their personalities clue me in to the type of landscape they would enjoy. Also, touring clients around Green Acres and learning their preference in plants, and asking specific questions outlines their personalities for me. This then allows me to accurately represent them.
In starting this job, the first thing was to remove the lawn. We then began checking the irrigation and converting it to drip irrigation, and typically we add an additional valve for more water pressure. Most drip irrigation systems are stretched, covering too many plants. As a result, the plants suffer as they mature having insufficient water pressure. This one change alone makes a huge difference in the fruition of the plants. Following this, we check drainage and then begin our normal procedure of amending the soil by tilling in a special blend that I have made just for Executive Care. (A side note: because we do this upfront prep work, we are often higher in cost than other landscapers. It takes a couple extra days, but we are adding longevity and enjoyment to the landscape by creating a healthy soil environment for the plants to flourish in).
You will notice that we used mocha lava rock as opposed to mocha brown bark. It’s somewhat hard to notice the full size of the trees at first glance since they are still deciduous, however it is because of the leaf fall of both their trees and the neighbors that we decided to use the lava rock. Initially when a landscape is first completed the lava rock makes the landscape look somewhat “desert – tee.” However, after the plants mature, it looks sharp. It has a neat and clean appearance and is very easy to blow clean (low maintenance). Because lava rock is porous, it is cooler than other rock mulches. It is the only rock mulch we use because of this.
I went on an appointment about a year ago where the landscape was going on three years. I thought the cost was considerable for what was done. It was a corner lot with 80 percent of it being in lawn, which is the easiest and least expensive part of any landscape. More lawn equals a lower bid, another “trick of the trade.” Unfortunately, it was installed in our drought years, and the City of Roseville began sending notices of excessive water usage, and an increased rate for continued water use. Instead of paying more for the water, they let all the landscape die, except for a few trees and plants that they hand-watered. The client was super frustrated, and I was mad. They were much like Ed and Melissa — not knowledgeable regarding landscaping, and they were taken advantage of. Make sure and do your homework in selecting a landscaper. It is much better to wait, than to pay double because the first job was done incorrectly.
Gardeners – our winter gardens now need to be added to the compost pile. Garden beds should be well fertilized with an organic fertilizer lightly tilled under and allowed to sit for a couple weeks prior to the next planting.
Welcome to our May edition. What a difference a month can make! COVID-19 dominates the news, regardless of which news station you listen to. There are the contrary views that you have to go online to hear, and their point of views also make sense so in the end, what is really happening? I am not sure, but I believe there is truth in both camps and the best we can do is to do our part understanding that “this too shall pass.” Optimism always wins over depression and hope always wins over fear. Both fear and depression can kill you even before COVID-19 gets to us, if it does. Working from home, with a less than desirable yard makes it tough too. If we must stay home, having a nice yard to enjoy, and a place to escape to really helps. I see in many of us an appreciation of beauty, whether it be a nicely landscaped yard, a walk along the seashore, a hike in the mountains or a bike ride on many of our local bike trails. Nature has a way of easing the pain and bringing us hope and encouragement. It happens to our team when we complete a job, and to our client, which for us is the most rewarding part of what we do. When we see that smile, joy and excitement expressed by our clients, it gives us joy. It is a blessing to be able to give our clients their own retreat and I believe it is a testimony to how we have been hard wired by our Creator to appreciate and need beauty and sanctuary in our lives. Something about it completes us.
I love showing the progression of jobs as they mature, it helps you to see what I see. Upon completing a job, I already see the job three to four years down the road. I wish I could show our clients this, but that is definitely beyond my ability. The best I can do is describe the growth, flower times, and fall color. It’s not the same as seeing it matured though. Thomas’ job was a real pleasure to do, and he was a pleasure to work with. The only thing he lacks is a wife. For any of you single ladies, he’s a good, hardworking man that was completely out of his league when it came to landscaping. I am so used to putting a backyard together with a female counterpart, that it was strange not having someone to bounce my ideas off. Thomas could not see it, and his answer to whatever I said was yes. I greatly appreciated his trust in me, but at the same time this is not my backyard. I work for my client and want to be sure that their taste and needs are being met. I did not have that with Thomas. However, in the end, he was thrilled with the job which was a great relief to me. Spending people’s money is stressful enough, and not being sure that the end product will be what they like is a bit nerve racking.
The job, as you can see in the before picture was not much to look at. It was not a retreat to go to, nor a sanctuary that you could enjoy your morning coffee. There was nothing about the landscape that invited you outside. There were only two things that were favorable: the pool and the Redwoods. Both the pool and Redwoods were far enough away that they really could not be appreciated from the home. You would have to be closer to the pool to appreciate that area. Our task, like all jobs is to take the existing strengths of the landscape and build on them. We also take the weaknesses and use them to our advantage. The greatest weakness of the yard was the slope. It was most un- pleasant in its prior form (worse than what can been seen in the before picture), however I learned long ago that an ugly slope is a gift if you know how to use it. A well landscaped slope allows you to see all its parts, there is nothing hidden or blocked. Also, it allows you to build retaining walls, and add topsoil blend. This lessens the steepness of the slope, but also makes it a great place for plants to thrive. Thomas’ job is only 3 months old, it was completed in February, so growth is just beginning. How- ever, next year at this time it is going to look completely different with the plants developing in accordance to their growth pattern. Right now, they are all basically the same size, and the Crape Myrtle trees are still deciduous and hard to see.
There are many ways to build a block wall. Many landscapers prefer the cultured stone or a stone veneer look, which I love just as much. However stackable block walls are also attractive and there are several styles to choose from. If the client would be just as happy with one of the stackable block walls, that would be a savings in cost of about 30% to 40%. It takes less labor to build a stackable block wall, and the material cost is about half of the cultured stone or stone veneer walls. I’ve seen some beautiful walls of this nature with some very unattractive landscapes behind them, and there was no invitation to come out and enjoy (no one comes out to see walls). Alternatively, you have seen many of our landscapes using the stackable blocks, and the invitation to come out and enjoy is loud and clear, especially after the landscapes have matured a bit. However, there are those clients that want the cultured stone or stone veneer look, and they understand the price tag associated with it. I am so grateful that they select us to do their work because I know it’s going to be elegant.
If you are working from home, I would encourage you to con- sider getting your yard landscaped. Of course, I would like you to select us, however it is more important to just get your yard landscaped and bring joy into your personal space. Who- ever you go with, make sure and check out their website and references. On our website you can find all our articles (under publications) as well as pictures of past jobs. Under client comments are many comments from our clients, all of which are very gracious and kind. Finally, the page after this article is another article by me dedicated to gardening. As you are all aware, the grocery stores have been depleted of products, and I am not talking just about toilet paper, but food. It shows me that in times of need, our food supply chain cannot keep up with the demand. So, I am wanting to discuss home gardens. Finally, in PDF format is a personal article that I wrote entitled “In Times of Uncertainty”. My goal is to bring encouragement and hope
For this month, we are reshowing a landscape we featured in March. The landscape is in Auburn. At that time the trees were still deciduous. The job itself, however, was completed last October/November so when we showed it in March there had been virtually no growth. The pictures we featured just showed a lot of bark, wall, pavers, lawn and tiny plants. Now the trees have leafed out, giving more life to the land- scape. Next year, it will be a very nice landscape to feature again, however I wanted to complete the hardscape portion of this land- scape before we completely forget about what we covered in March. In the first article, I discussed the pavers and the wall (our articles are posted under publications on our website). The goal was to extend the driveway so that Ben and Kathleen could pull out and drive forward. Prior, they had to back up the hill to exit their driveway. To accomplish this change, we needed to cut the hill back, build the wall, and then fill in the newly acquired space with pavers. Both block and pavers were in the San Remo color style. This was the discussion in March, only in greater detail.
As the men were completing this, the next step was to divide up the space. As you can see, prior to the change, it was just lawn, which they still wanted, however much less. How much less was up to me, however I did want Kathleen’s input. We wanted more interest and curb appeal, as a well as a sitting area.
Equally as important was access to the front door. Considering these needs, I allocated the space that would fulfill these needs. I do a lot of design work using upside down paint where I literally paint out the design on the ground. This way I can see the actual “fit.” Like pieces to a puzzle, it is important to see the space allocations as a whole, including the existing trees, house, driveway etc., which are all part of the overall view. I prefer this method over paper, though I can appreciate those of us that need paper. I find even these clients can more easily relate to “earth designs,” once I get them to trust me.
Everything that makes up a landscape plays an important role in making that landscape unique and beautiful, however with this landscape the steps were a greater asset. They were cut stone as opposed to cement, so their addition was very custom. We ordered them via a local supplier, and they in turn ordered them through a company in Idaho. This company had them in stock, but they had 24” wide as opposed to 12”s wide. Getting new ones mined and then cut to 12” would take 2 to 3 months. The only option was to get the current inventory cut, which meant the supplier had to ship them to Utah to be cut and then back to Idaho to be shipped to our local supplier. Though it was a hassle, it was less trouble than having them mined. I had to take an educated guess of how many steps we would need by determining the route I believed we would go. I did fairly well, we only had three left over.
Prior to the steps arriving, we formed the walkway by grading and adding road base. The job became more complicated when we decided to switch from flagstone to pavers in between the steps. Flagstone, being larger pieces are easier to work with and are faster to install. Pavers are great but require more time. We started the walkway at the base of the hill, and as the hill climbed upward, we would add two steps and then continue with the pavers until the elevation changed again, and then add a couple more steps, etc. At one point, we needed to add four steps to get to a more level area so we could continue with the pavers. This created an irregularity of distance between the steps. I desired four paces and then two steps, four paces and then two steps. I felt that would make for easier walking but wishes and reality don’t always agree. Also, when working with pavers in a con- fined three-foot wide space, as opposed to a patio that is much wider, a lot of cutting is involved. Pavers just don’t fit neat and tidy into a narrow area. It’s a work of love, with a lot of exact measuring.
The walk way and steps were complete, and turned out super cool. Our next challenge was the plants. In designing softscape for a slope, the angle of the slope is a big deal. If it’s particularly steep, you want to use more “creepy crawlers” as I call them. Creepy Crawlers are plants that spread out and root. They help with soil erosion, however this slope was more “lazy,” so in land- scaping it I wanted to create key focal area. In between these areas, I wanted it colorful but more relaxed before the next fo- cal area. You will notice that around the trees the landscape is a little tighter, and in between the trees the plants are a little farther apart. Right now, with the plants being young and not as yet developing their unique growing patterns, it is difficult to distinguish this pattern. It’s still a lot of bark, but in three years it will be just perfect. Viewing landscapes on hills is not the same as viewing landscapes on level ground. Depending on the steepness of the hill, the landscape can appear condensed, which makes the plants look “stacked,” though the spacing does not vary from level ground spacing. We do a lot of slopes, and by the end of the season my men and I have the best-looking legs ever.
The last point that I cover in every hill article is the irrigation. It must be overdone. If two valves can water the hill, we add a third. We want to make sure that the water pressure is more than sufficient, and we never push water uphill. In designing the system the valves themselves start at the high point meaning that the drip lines cross the hill (east to west or west to east). Landscapes, especially like this one with special features are not cheap, and forward thinking is necessary to make sure all goes well for the homeowner for years to come.
Gardeners—hopefully you have your summer vegetables in now. Keep in mind the summer is coming and a balance fertilizer is important to establish healthy roots, which leads to healthy plants. Until next time—Good Gardening
Dear Readers and Clients, I am sharing this devotional to bring encouragement and strength for the situation we’re in. It is Faith and Bible based. If that would offend you I ask that you would not read it. However if you are open to another point of view, especially now, I would be most honored if you read it.
Thank you
Vida4U ( Vida4U.com)In times of uncertainty… With the Corona Virus ( COVID19) “looming” in every news broadcast, life right now feels uncertain and threatening. This time however is not unique, we have had periods as such. During the Cold War where Russia seemed as a looming threat I remember going to bed as a child wondering if the next day we would be bombed, or if there would even be a next day. Then there was Y2K, the computers where going to crash, then we had the Anthrax scare in 2001 and in 2002 we feared the spread of the West Nile Virus followed by SARS in 2003 and then seemingly we had peace until in 2005 when the Bird Flu broke out, then E.Coli in 2006 and then stocks crashed in 2008 and in 2009 the Swine Flu and on it goes with almost each year having an event and one we all remember is 9-11. Now we have the Corona Virus.
These events were major events, people got hurt, people lost their jobs and people died, so the point and the question, especially knowing how our human nature wants things safe and predictable is how should we live in these uncertain times? And the ironicalness of this is as a nation we have printed on our money “In God We Trust.” We should always be living like that, keeping a “light touch,” on everything; even our pass teaches that. Yet in reality we white knuckle everything.
We are like trees rooted deep into the soil of what we perceive will not change. So given the uncertainty of this life, and I’ll repeat the question, how should we live? In the Biblical book of Ezekiel Israel had gone into exile because of their idol worship ( an idol is anything that we put before God. It can be finances, people, passions, a job etc.). While they were in exile they asked God the same question, and God’s answer was one of repentance and seeking Him, putting Him first in their daily lives and decisions. Ezekiel 33:10-11pp“Therefore you, O son of man, say to the house of Israel: ‘Thus you say, “If our transgressions and our sins lie upon us, and we die away because of them how can we continue to live?” ’ Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord GOD, I have no joy in the sufferings of the unrepentant but that they turn from his/her way and seek Me. Turn, turn from your self seeking ways and follow me! For why should your future be in peril O house of Israel?’ Remember God’s concept of future is not limited to 80 or 90 years.
The message of repentance is never well received. Ezekiel 33:30-31Hearing and Not Doing“As for you, son of man, the children of your people are talking about you…, and they speak to one another, everyone saying to his brother, ‘Please come and hear what the word is that comes from the LORD.’ So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain.
So the very first step of dealing with the Corona Virus or any uncertainty is first, are you right with God? Is He the priority in your life, or is He second, third, or fourth to other pursuits? If so, this would need to change. It can never be God and something else, that never works. It’s all God, or not God at all; He’ll never be second. Here’s how to make Him first. John 3:16-17For God so loved the world ( you and me) that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes (trusts) in Him should not be lost but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to CONDEMN the world, but that the world through Him might be SAVED.The Cross, which some people find offensive, I find comfort and security in. When anyone sacrifices their very life for you that is someone you can trust; completely.
Jesus lead by example and taught a whole new way to live. It’s found in Matthew 5. It’s titled the Be Attitudes, or the Attitudes To Be. When one entrust their life into God’s care He will not handle our life as we would. We seek residency here, He seeks our residency with Him while we live out our lives here. Can you see the conflict in that? We are like barnacles, once we latch on to our earthly identity and security it’s hard for us to let go. In fact we don’t unless something major happens, like what we are experiencing now. We need something to occur that forces us to reevaluate our goals and decisions. Through hard times we learn that nothing here is permanent. Anything founded here can and does change. When times are good we tend to put God in the back seat, or maybe we even leave Him hitchhiking? Not good. A sense of permanence or true security can only be found in knowing The Lord. Read this next verse, a promise that Jesus makes.
John 14:26-27But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name (Jesus) He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives ( gives and takes back) do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
We can have peace despite all the uncertainties, why? Because our Eternal Foundation does not change, for its not based here. It’s not reliant on man but on God and His promises. However our goals must become God’s goals, otherwise peace will be hard to find. Remember our life here is passing, maybe eighty to ninety years give or take. However what is that compared to Eternity, but a dot on a continuum that goes on forever. He seeks that are residency to be with Him. That our ambitions, goals and desires line up with His. By spending time in prayer and the scriptures ( The Bible) we start becoming more heavenly minded and we start to change. Things here become less important to us.
These changes can be painful, but afterwards they yield to a greater understanding of God and a greater freedom from the fears and insecurities that plague us. We gain the ability to have peace in the midst of the chaos. Just think, to not be controlled by fear or insecurity, or by anger or lust (etc.) To “manage” these feelings rather than being managed by them is such a relief ! No longer puppets on the string of human emotions, but sons and daughters of a Grace so rich that despite what happens here we can never be separated from Him or His love.
Romans 8:18From Suffering to GloryFor I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Romans 8:38-39For 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 created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Aside from the freedom that the hope of Eternal Life brings us, being in relationship with the Lord gives peace and promise. There are many promises in the scriptures that bring strength, comfort, protection, and assurance, especially for such a time as this. Philippians 4:6-7 ( for times of anxiety) Be anxious (or worried) for nothing, but in everything by prayer with request and WITH THANKSGIVING let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. ( out of your hands and into His).”
Becoming His son or daughter is the starting point. And just like any relationship, the more time we spend with someone the better we get to know them. It is no different with the Lord. It’s hard to trust a stranger, but a good friend can be trusted. The more we spend time with Him through prayer and Bible study we will find that our anxieties will lessen and our faith will grow. As we mature in our faith, it will become easier to trust Him. ****
Part III Controlling negative emotions. There is a way we deal with anxiety, fear, insecurity, lust etc., we have “armor” that is made up of God’s promises. In Ephesians 6 we have a word picture of the armor of the Christian. I am only sharing two verses of the Christian armor the rest continues in verses 13 and on (I would encourage you to read it).
Ephesians 6:10-12 “ Our Battle “ The Whole Armor of GodFinally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of evil in the heavenly places…..”
If this is the first time you have read this verse, it’s a little scary. Wrestling with the Devil is not my idea of fun. However, since the beginning of time man has had conflict with the Devil. In the Garden of Eden, the master of lies and deception appears as a serpent challenging God’s Word saying “did God say?” And he does the same thing today. In every faucet of life that the Bible addresses Satan says, “ Did God say?”
Genesis 3:1-5iThe Temptation and Fall of ManNow the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ”Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
The “serpent’s” job has always been to slander and discredit God making Him out to be a liar, but let’s see who the real liar is. Genesis 3:8-10And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?”So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” Here are words Adam never used before till now; hid, afraid, and naked. Where as prior to this Adam and Eve looked forward to God’s visits, being naked never bothered them, and fear, what fear? How tragic is that?
Genesis 2:25( prior to sin) And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. Now with their eyes “opened” shame, fear, blame, distance from God and insecurity come and Adan even blames God and Eve for his sin…
Genesis 3:11-12And God said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?”Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate. From God being his best friend to God becoming adversarial. So much for this “new freedom,” and it’s always like this and what died was two fold. The intimacy shared between God and man died and was replaced by fear and insecurity and that division extended unto eternal life where now God had to provide a means to redeem man – The Cross. The whole message of Easter is about Redemption, because God so loved that He gave… However from this one act of disobedience sin entered into man and God’s Holy Spirit which clothed man in His Glory left, therefore they truly were naked. They saw themselves in such shame compared to the glory of God that prior clothed them that they hid themselves. Physically though they lived and the devil fully knew what death would occur but he lied ( what a surprise?) Jesus rightly called him the father of lies in John…
John 8:44You are of your father the devil ( speaking to the Pharisees ) and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of it.
The greatest freedom a person could ever have is being in a love relationship with God. There is no greater freedom on planet earth. Not a legalistic relationship based on obeying a set of rules but a relationship were we allow Him the freedom to change us. It’s from love that God has asks us to follow Him. As long as we are trying to earn God’s favor by obeying a set of rules we are on a religious platform. Once we understand that it is impossible to earn His favor, that we already have it because of what Christ did on the Cross, then we become free to really grow in Christ. We become recipients of what Christ did when we believe and receive the gift of salvation. Understanding that His Grace is impossible to earn, that no one is perfect enough to earn it from a Holy God is liberating. Accepting this truth becomes the bridge to our freedom were we can start learning to walk in the Spirit of Grace and not in the letter of the law which is legalism, or a life that follows all the rules but void of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Years ago that use to be me.
In ending I leave you with some instruction . Philippians 4:6-8 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Meditate on These ThingsFinally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
God be with you and thank you for reading. Any comments or questions send to Arthur@Vida4U.com. I solely am responsible for the content of this article. If you are on our email list for Vida4U this is a repeat of what has been sent out as the Easter Message. For those of you that would like a monthly devotional as such sent please request it by sending an email to the above address. Go to Vida4U.com to find more articles. Sent from my iPad
Video Introduction (New!) Matthew 27:49-54The rest said, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him.”And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly ( to terrify) saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!” Matthew 27:62-64 Pilate Sets a GuardOn the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, saying, “Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, After three days I will rise.’ Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead.’ So the last deception will be worse than the first.”Matthew 27:65Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how.” Setting a guard to prevent something Divine from happening is about as foolish as me standing in front of a train and trying to stop it. I’d lose my life, and they lost theirs. The blindness and the arrogance of the Pharisees to maintain their position after all that had happened is staggering. Such pride and hardness of heart. With good reason Jesus called the Pharisees children of the devil, and so they were. John 8:44You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. Satan is a created being, he stood in the presence of God witnessing His might and power and yet instead of being inspired to worship Him he wanted to be worshipped. How can any one be so blind and arrogant? Yet the Pharisees witnessed Jesus healing, teaching, even raising the dead and ultimately raising Himself from the grave and yet they still called Him a deceiver and then went as far as to tell the soldiers that guarded the tomb to lie. To say that the disciples came and stole Jesus body. Even the soldiers guarding Jesus at the Cross after witnessing all that had happened believed that Jesus was the Son of God. Yet these blind guides, impostors, serpents and vipers as Jesus called them, hands of Satan, filled their cup full with damnation and brought others with them. This was the reason Jesus called them the offspring of Satan. The same root of pride and hatred that abides in Satan towards God and the things of God abided in them. And Satan has his followers today. We can see them at work working against all that is righteous, wholesome and good. Always and forever in contradiction to truth, purity and justice and absolutely against God’s Word. As it was then, so it is now. As mentioned in the last Vida4U, they have no genuine love for their fellow man, though they pretend as they do. They love only themselves and aggressively seek to pursue their own agenda. They will do anything and everything to advance their cause forward. Ultimately, and according to scripture, they are pressing towards a one world government ruled by “the man of sin” the son man of perdition, the anti( against) Christ. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-6Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day (the return of Christ) will not come unless the falling away first shall happen, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as god. Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? And now you know what is restraining ( The Holy Spirit) that he may be revealed in his own time. The word perdition means doomed to destruction, and as he is doomed to destruction so are all that follow him. “The falling away,” is in reference to the large number of people he will deceive, even the elect will be challenged. Matthew 24:23-24“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. One of the key last time events has to be the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple. Something that has been much discussed over the years. I expect the leader that causes that to happen to be this man of perdition or one of his very close assistants acting on his behalf, or it could be President Trump. God could use him to fulfill this part of prophecy? We will see. However there are other signs. The terminology “one world” or “a new world order” or “citizen of the world” or a “global citizen” are all new phrases that we are being conditioned to hear as opposed to being an American, or a Canadian etc. The one world concept are phases that have been long used by satan’s henchmen and they are terms also used in the church in reference to end times prophecy. However not until recently have these terms been used by the mainstream news outlets. Now these phases are heard with more frequency. We are also hearing about “tracking” in context with people having COVID19. The head of the U.N said even going into people’s home who were suspect of having COVID19. It feels as though are rights are being trampled over. No one questions COVID’S potential to spread, however “generally speaking” it is not much worse than influenza. However, unlike influenza we have not built “herd immunity” to COVID19 because of its newness, so it particularly hurts people that already have respiratory problems. However is the “fear” of it being used as a spring board to change society? The way we interact with each other, what we do for entertainment, education, even the distance we are suppose to maintain from each other. It causes us to distrust each other, it’s the perfect mind game. So many things are influx because of COVID19. What is behind the scenes, is it being used to introduce “parts” of the new world order? I’ll let you decide, my goal with this Vida is to have us see these signs, wake up in other words; and start seeking the Lord. We need to focus on our relationship with the Him, because if this is part of prophecy then it is going to happen whether we want it to or not. As said, the more important question is are you ready, which of the 5 virgins are you going to be? Matthew 25:1-10 The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. Will you be ready, looking for our bridegroom? Another topic aside from “tracking,” and we are hearing more about it, is digital currency. What is the reason for this, could COVID live on currency? If so, be prepared for talk of replacing our currency with digital? The ability to buy and sell, and even the ability to work with digital currency could be reduced to a chip on our forehead or on the top of our hand. The Bible calls this the “mark of the beast.” The technology for this I believe is here, however implementing it is still a future event. For one, we haven’t been “conditioned” enough to accept this new way of commerce. This “mark” will be required by all citizens to be able to function in the new world order. If America fails because of all the stimulus money, in other words the boat can only hold so much weight (debt) before it sinks, then it would be a perfect time to restructure into a one world order with digital currency. And the vaccine, “being responsible citizens of the world” ( another catch phrase we are being conditioned too) we must all take it, but what if you are not comfortable in receiving it, or for your children, will we be penalized? To the student of the Bible these new terms, the changes being made, plus the people in government that rule without conscious or care or fear of God are all part and parcel with the last days spoken by Jesus in Matthew. Matthew 24:3-8 The Signs of the Times and the End of the Age(Mark 13:3–13; Luke 21:7–19)Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of the birth pangs.” Revelation 13:16-18He ( the Antichrist) causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666. Clearly and existing today, and it has always been, are two kingdoms rivaling for power and control of the soul of man. To not see this simply means that we have been too busy in our own world to note and see the subtle changes that are occurring around us. Deception will be paramount and only making our relationship to the Lord a priority will keep pus from not being blinded to these changes. How does one surrender his or her rights, you don’t unless you are convinced that it is for your own good. To take my rights by force would create chaos, however to convince me that it is for my good because of an imminent danger I gladly surrender and obey. There is a saying used by these haters of righteousness, “eyes wide shut.” Meaning that all that is done is done out in the open, but we don’t call it into question because of the context ( the deception) it’s set in. Our eyes are open but we have no understanding of the significance of these events – our conscious is shut. Conditioning and more conditioning in incremental steps is the method. One big step forward and then subtle little ones that don’t seem so bad and so it goes. 911 got us to go to war, the longest war in our history. War world II was approximately 6 years and World War I was 4 years. With all our advanced weapons why was this war so long lasting through half of President Bushes term, all of President Obama’s term until President Trump drew it down. Our casualties were great, was it necessary to fight for so long, was it political? Is it possible that it was used to cripple our fighting ability, to make us weaker? It is a terrible thought but unfortunately it’s a fair question given the scope and the duration of the other wars. Now let me give you some history about me before you think I’ve lost it. I went to a church, a very good church as I was growing up. However every time something occurred with Israel it was the “coming of The Lord“ – every time. So for me to be writing about end time events is so far out of my character. Vida4U was and is an intentional devotional based on living with Christ here and now. Right now in my situation, how does my relationship to Christ impact my life, my stresses, my challenges etc. That has been the focus of Vida. However when we have a “pandemic” that causes changes as in shutting down nations, it’s time to pay attention to prophecy and send out an alert. Personal Statement I am first and foremost a child of The King, and so are you. I am a student of His Word the Bible, hence each Vida has multiple Biblical verses. I do not follow any man’s teaching, but I am open to hearing and learning. I mostly rely on study and the Holy Spirit to teach me, and you should do the same. So this is my perspective as I view and hear of current events, and for me things are just not adding up. In Placer County in the months of February and March more people died in a car accident than died of this disease, yet we don’t shut down driving. My personal feeling is COVID is real but our reaction to it is over the top, why? What is the motive or what is to be gained or how much of our rights will be lost at the end of this? Did the mouse trap just get bigger? As much as I dislike writing like this, this still should not be doomsday stuff for believers. If you love Jesus this is good news, our homecoming is just that much closer. However for those of us riding the fence, and again this is the reason for this particular Vida, it’s time to make a decision to follow Christ a 110% percent. Ezekiel the prophet was called to warn Israel of future events, to the degree that this Vida helps us with our walk with God I don’t mind being labeled a little “out there.” Father God, For those of us seeking you this is a time to seek you even more, and for those of us having put the things of the world ahead of You, it is time to repent and re- prioritize You as our first love. Things don’t bring joy, security or peace, only a “live” relationship with You does that. Let us count the cost and move forward in Your Grace, Truth and in Faith. Amen
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.
