I have a friend who rarely finds time to write personal emails anymore. I understand that. Instead, she keeps us all updated via her blog site. Unfortunately, it may be weeks between updates, and sometimes her "last post" was an urgent prayer request about "later today" or "tomorrow", and three weeks later, we still don't know what has happened.
Then there is my friend Iona who is diligent about keeping her blog updated. I love it. Several times a week I can venture over and find out what is going on. It keeps us connected, and on days when I need someone to have coffee with, Iona's blog is there, and even if I've read it before, I read it again just because it feels good to my heart.
Iona actually schedules time to write several times a week, and she sticks to it unless a major thing prevents it. When I started this blog, I had hoped to be like Iona. I had concerns, but really, I hoped to be as dedicated to schedule as she is, and I am. Unlike Iona, my small children's schedule is the one that I have to be committed to, and lately, it has not allowed for much blog time or email time. In my inbox, I have emails over a month old that need attention, and now the embarrassment of having waited so long has set in, and I'm wondering if I can just ignore them and start over. :-) Some of you know what I mean.
Schedule is part of the prohibitive force that has kept me away from the keyboard. The other is personal....personal what? Mental state? Thought processes? Whatever the specific category, the general is "personal", and "personal" can be hard to put into a blog. At least it is for me. In fact, for me, personal is something I keep in the pages of my journal that I often consider having cremated with me when I exit this life. Well, I don't know that all those journals would fit into the crematorium with me, but there seems to be a bit of appropriateness in their ashes and my ashes all being heaped together. The remains of my body and my thoughts all put together in a large hole with a big oak tree planted on top. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, tree to tree. LOL If you find that morbid, I am sorry to offend, but it gave me a giggle. On the other hand, I like to think somewhere in those journals lies wisdom, revelation, healing, and truth, and the Lord does not desire for those things to die. After all, they came from Him. Who am I to be so selfish that I would take them with me. I brought nothing into this world, and I will take nothing out. Not even my journals, and who knows? Maybe someday someone will read them and find hope, an answer for where they are, or something that helps them see the Lord better. I like to think that is what would happen.
The truth is, I do believe there is wisdom and truth in my journals because I write about the Lord and what He has shown me in my life. However, along with the spiritual life, I've recorded my battle with the flesh, and sometimes I've lost huge. Granted, Jesus' blood and God's grace cover all the losses, but I'm still horribly ashamed at times. I'm ashamed that I was so stupid. I'm ashamed at being gullible. I'm ashamed of believing the lie...again. I'm ashamed that God loves me so much, and it seems that I am forever trampling on that love. And right along with that is pride. Pride and shame are conjoined twins in the emotional realm, I think. The truth is I don't know that I want people to know just how badly I blow it, and yet, the Bible says to confess our sins to one another, to pray for one another, to encourage one another. We are to lift each other up so we can gain victory over the flesh and our sins.
I'll tell you frankly that this is an area that the Lord is really dealing with me on right now. I won't go into details because they are long and as exciting as a Joseph Conrad book, but the simplified and concise version is this: there are levels of being real that just flat terrify me. I could explain why along with multiple examples, but the root is rejection by people, especially people who were important to me. Now, the frustrating part of this is that the Lord and I have dealt with this so many times! I really thought we were beyond this, and yet, here we are again staring at the same mountain. Except this time instead of running and hiding, I feeling like we are looking at the mountain together, both sipping on coffee, discussing our strategy for ascent.
See too often we stare at the mountain before us, especially the ones we've seen over and over again, and we just want passed the mountain. It's the simple question of, "How do I get out of this?" We like the K.I.S.S. philosophy-Keep It Short and Simple. However, I've seen the view from the top of a few other mountains I've climbed. The climb is exhausting and feels like it'll kill you--but that is the purpose, to kill you--but when you are at the top and can look out from where you are, the view is stunning. The air isn't full of gunk like it is on level ground. The sky isn't dirty, so the sun is clearer. One's Breath is purer, and the Light is brighter and clearer. It is amazing.
And that is where I am. I'm standing somewhere on this mountain, because I've climbed part of it before, and my Guide and I are devising strategy for the rest of the climb. I figure there will be points in the ascent when I whine and want to quit, but it is my heart's desire that He refuses to let me sit down or quit. I figure we'll take a rest here and there, but I don't want to make our temporary campsite into a lodge. I want the mountain top, and my Guide wants to get me there. Where two are in agreement, wondrous things happen--miraculous things....God things, and isn't that what this is about? Releasing the God things?
Hoping you stay on the path even when it strays from your comfort zone.....
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Saturday, July 1, 2006
Is Christianity Considered PG?
Okay, I read the headlines that a movie got a PG rating because of it's Christian content, so I read the rest of the article.
The article presents the ongoing debate on whether Facing the Giants was rated PG due to Christian content or not. I have no clear answer. However, it has also reopened the discussion about the rating system and how it seems to be letting more and more be considered G that should be PG or PG that should be R. There is a possibility that these discussions will come up before Congress, and we could have a voice in them if we act accordingly.
I am sending you two links. First is the link the article, and second is the link to the Facing the Giants website.
After watching the trailer, I want to see it.
For further public dicussion, feel free to comment here. The comments won't show up immediately, but I will get them mediated and posted as quickly as I can, and as always, if you want, you can just reply to me and tell me what you think.
Blessings to all of you, and may you have the faith to face the giants.
http://apnews.excite.com/article/20060701/D8IJDOR81.html
http://www.facingthegiants.com/
The article presents the ongoing debate on whether Facing the Giants was rated PG due to Christian content or not. I have no clear answer. However, it has also reopened the discussion about the rating system and how it seems to be letting more and more be considered G that should be PG or PG that should be R. There is a possibility that these discussions will come up before Congress, and we could have a voice in them if we act accordingly.
I am sending you two links. First is the link the article, and second is the link to the Facing the Giants website.
After watching the trailer, I want to see it.
For further public dicussion, feel free to comment here. The comments won't show up immediately, but I will get them mediated and posted as quickly as I can, and as always, if you want, you can just reply to me and tell me what you think.
Blessings to all of you, and may you have the faith to face the giants.
http://apnews.excite.com/article/20060701/D8IJDOR81.html
http://www.facingthegiants.com/
Thursday, June 29, 2006
A Word for the Morning
From the book of Jude--
20But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. 21Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
24To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— 25to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. (Italics mine)
20But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. 21Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
24To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— 25to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. (Italics mine)
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Fred Tales
I have been so blessed by the ongoing concern about Fred. Thank you so much.
I have waited to update until we made a vet checkup. Fred is still gaining weight, still eating a cup and a half, or more!, of food a day. He runs and plays and eats things.
He has a strange fascination with flying bugs. One day he was in our backyard, and he caught a locust in mid-air. Usually, he will eat them, but for some reason, he didn't eat this one. He just carried it around in his mouth as he wandered around the yard. Then for no seeming reason, he opened his mouth, and when he did, the locust flew away safely.
The other really funny thing about Fred is his tail. His tail is VERY long, like so long that when he wags it, it taps him on the sides. Sometimes, this seems to annoy him because he will reach around and bit his tail. This is pretty funny, but once in awhile, he gets a good grip on it and jerks it. This pulls his back end out of balance, and he does a tumbling flip. He will do this for 10-15 minutes at a time, and when he gets tired of tumbling, he lies on the floor and will flip himself over by pulling his own tail.
He has added a great deal of humor to our family.
OH! The vet. He is very happy with how Fred is doing, and he feels that we've made it through the distemper, and Fred is fine. Fred got his next round of boosters this week, and in three weeks, he goes back for another check up and the rest of his shots.
Thank you all for your prayers for Fred and us. The Lord has honored them, and we bless you for your kindness toward our family!
I have waited to update until we made a vet checkup. Fred is still gaining weight, still eating a cup and a half, or more!, of food a day. He runs and plays and eats things.
He has a strange fascination with flying bugs. One day he was in our backyard, and he caught a locust in mid-air. Usually, he will eat them, but for some reason, he didn't eat this one. He just carried it around in his mouth as he wandered around the yard. Then for no seeming reason, he opened his mouth, and when he did, the locust flew away safely.
The other really funny thing about Fred is his tail. His tail is VERY long, like so long that when he wags it, it taps him on the sides. Sometimes, this seems to annoy him because he will reach around and bit his tail. This is pretty funny, but once in awhile, he gets a good grip on it and jerks it. This pulls his back end out of balance, and he does a tumbling flip. He will do this for 10-15 minutes at a time, and when he gets tired of tumbling, he lies on the floor and will flip himself over by pulling his own tail.
He has added a great deal of humor to our family.
OH! The vet. He is very happy with how Fred is doing, and he feels that we've made it through the distemper, and Fred is fine. Fred got his next round of boosters this week, and in three weeks, he goes back for another check up and the rest of his shots.
Thank you all for your prayers for Fred and us. The Lord has honored them, and we bless you for your kindness toward our family!
Study on Luke 8
The following is from an email I sent concerning a group I would like to lead. I was asked for a detailed plan, and this was where the Lord took me. I hope it blesses you, and may your crop be bountiful and your barns overflowing!
Luke 8:1-15 tells the parable of the seeds. I have always heard that passage discussed from the perspective that the seed was the message of salvation. However, the Lord used it to show me some powerful truth about His Word as a whole. This is what He revealed to me:
In verse 11, the seed is the Word of God. There is nothing that limits the definition of the "seed" to the message of salvation or Biblical text. Obviously the Bible had not been written then. In the Greek "word" means "the word of God, meaning His omnipotent voice, decree; especially of God, the word of God, divine revelation, and declaration, oracle." This is important because people need to hear God's word--His declaration, divine revelation, and omnipotent voice--regarding their prayer requests. I can sit and tell someone all day that God listens to them, but how do they know it is true? The enemy can easily tell them, "Jerri's only saying that to make you feel better," but if I take out my Bible and read a verse that specifically addresses their prayer or if someone has a prophetic word or word of knowledge that addresses their prayer, that is a foundation to stand on. My desire in this group is to utilize the word of God in whatever form He wants to release it. I believe it is vital to look to the Bible for scripture to stand on and pray over our circumstances, but I also want to release words of wisdom and the gift of prophecy because I believe the Lord speaks through those gifts, and the word of God is powerful. It is the foundation on which our faith can rest while we wait to see the manifestation of our answered prayers.
In verse 12, Jesus talks about the seeds that fall along the path. My original comments in my journal were "People curse our seeds. We try to believe for great things, but either past experience or other people tell us how crazy it is, and we begin to believe them." That is it in a nutshell, isn't it? We want to believe the great things God says, but we look at the past and the evidence seems to contradict it or people tell us we are nuts, and we end up exchanging the great things for the great lie. Then I did a word study, and I found it to be a bit chilling, honestly. The NIV says it this way:
5"A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up.
12 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.
The seed, the word of God, was trampled on and eaten by birds. The word study for this, as I said, is a bit chilling, in my opinion.
The devil is the word "diablos", which is the name for "satan, so called because originally he accused or slandered God in Eden. The devil still slanders God by false and blasphemous suggestions. He is also the accuser of the brethren." From this alone, we can see that the seed falls, and the accuser comes along and makes accusations and blasphemes the Lord causing us to lose faith. What lies does the enemy tell? That God doesn't care? That we aren't good enough? That He would never use us? That God likes to see us suffer? That God tolerates us because He has to? And the most horrifying part is we believe it. We have to know God. We have to know His character. It is not enough to recite John 3:16. We have to know Him. We have to know His heartbeat. We have to know His face. We have to know the very essence of Him, or we will believe the lies about Him. The enemy is very good about twisting evidence and pointing fingers at God. We have to know the Lord so well that we don't buy the lies because every time we buy a lie, we lose our seed. Yes, the Lord can restore it, but the road can be long and painful. How much easier it would be to identify the birds and the things that trample our seed and learn to battle those things and not lose the seed at all.
And the words "takes away", "airo", means to hold in suspense or doubt. The enemy doesn't have to make us leave the Lord, just doubt that He will do what He says He will. In Mark, we are told that Jesus could not do many miracles because of people's lack of faith. All satan has to do is make us doubt or suspend our belief.
The part that really shocked me was that these people believed in their hearts. The word for heart is "kardia". It means "As the seat of the desires, feelings, affections, passions, i.e., the heart or mind. As the seat of the intellect, meaning the mind, understanding." The word "believe" is "pisteuo", which means "to believe in, have faith in, trust. Intransitively, to believe, be persuaded in the truthfulness of." I don't know what "intransitively" means, but the picture is pretty clear. These are people who really believed in the truthfulness of the seed, not those who thought it was a nice theology or a moral way to live. These were people who bought into and truly believed in its truth, but because the enemy was able to accuse and blaspheme God, and these people could not tell the lies about God from the truth of God, they left what they truly believe in and bought the lie. How many people believe God wants them healed but get trampled and lose the harvest? How many believe their prodigals are coming home, but the birds eat the seeds? We have to learn to protect our seeds. And the word "saved" means "delivered or saved". Can we take a step outside typical theological discussion and suggest people want to be delivered from painful pasts, grouchy bosses, or overbearing parents? Do we have to limit the word "saved" to salvation, or can it mean being saved from whatever oppresses a person? I believe God has the seed to deliver us from all oppression, not just eternal death, but we don't know how to raise a crop for harvest. The path can be an easy place to lose seed if we don't know how to protect it.
In verse 13, Jesus said some seed falls on rocks. Rocks look different depending on whose life we are looking at, but we all have to deal with rocks. Rocks are anything that keeps our seeds from taking root, any hard place that repels the seed.
Verse 13--"Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away."
The word "receive" means "to accept deliberately and readily, take, or receive." So these people receive the word, but something causes them to not depend on the word or hold on to the word. Those are the rocks. If we are going to deal with rocks, we have to be open and honest, and we have to do it in a place of safety and accountability. The rocks are there because we let it get hard. Maybe a spouse can't see God's word about their marriage because the wounds keep them from wanting to do their part to fix it. Maybe someone isn't writing that screenplay because a professor in high school blasted them repeatedly on their papers and productions. Rocks can take all forms, but they have one thing in common--they repel seeds. Rocks have to be removed from the field if we hope to have a great harvest.
Verse 14 seems to be the most simplistic. It all seems to be wrapped up in the definition of "life". "Bios" means "life, the business and affairs of life, goods for living. Bios refers to the duration, means, and manners of life." Wow. The business of life keeps people from maturing, which means "to bring to perfect or ripeness". We get so caught up in trying to live that we never get ripe. We are so busy trying to accomplish something that we don't accomplish our calling, our purpose in the Lord. Have we so lost our identity that we don't understand the value of who we are? Have we missed the fact that only ripe fruit produce the seeds that then produce more plants and thus, more fruit? In the effort of daily life, have we forgotten the power of living? How do we allow the Lord to restore our values and renew our minds so we are matured and become seed for further harvest?
In verse 15, we are told about the seed on the good soil. The good soil has several ingredients:
-a noble and good heart
-hearing the word
-retaining the word
-persevering
These ingredients lead to producing a crop.
This is what I found during my word study on verse 15. The word "retain" is beautiful. It means "to maintain possession of, hold on to firmly, keep with care and interest, to persevere, guard, keep secure." Well, that is a sermon in and of itself. "Persevering" means to "remain under. A bearing up under, patience, endurance, as to things or circumstances. (It) is associated with hope and refers to that quality of character that does not allow one to surrender to circumstances or succumb under trial. Particularly, with the genitive of thing, as enduring evil afflictions. Specifically, patience as a quality of mind, the bearing of evils and suffering with tranquil mind."
The Lord has impressed on me that He wants His people to identify the birds and trampling feet in their lives. He wants to remove the rocks lying on the ground, and He wants to rip out the weeds that choke us. If we seek Him, He will lead us to remove these hindrances and show us how to develop good soil that brings about good crops. If you look at the seeds that do not germinate, in each case, the word is not retained, and there is no perseverance. The trampling feet, the birds, the rocks, and the weeds, make it impossible to retain the seed and persevere. The Lord wants to deal with those things in each of our lives because He has a harvest for us.
Luke 8:1-15 tells the parable of the seeds. I have always heard that passage discussed from the perspective that the seed was the message of salvation. However, the Lord used it to show me some powerful truth about His Word as a whole. This is what He revealed to me:
In verse 11, the seed is the Word of God. There is nothing that limits the definition of the "seed" to the message of salvation or Biblical text. Obviously the Bible had not been written then. In the Greek "word" means "the word of God, meaning His omnipotent voice, decree; especially of God, the word of God, divine revelation, and declaration, oracle." This is important because people need to hear God's word--His declaration, divine revelation, and omnipotent voice--regarding their prayer requests. I can sit and tell someone all day that God listens to them, but how do they know it is true? The enemy can easily tell them, "Jerri's only saying that to make you feel better," but if I take out my Bible and read a verse that specifically addresses their prayer or if someone has a prophetic word or word of knowledge that addresses their prayer, that is a foundation to stand on. My desire in this group is to utilize the word of God in whatever form He wants to release it. I believe it is vital to look to the Bible for scripture to stand on and pray over our circumstances, but I also want to release words of wisdom and the gift of prophecy because I believe the Lord speaks through those gifts, and the word of God is powerful. It is the foundation on which our faith can rest while we wait to see the manifestation of our answered prayers.
In verse 12, Jesus talks about the seeds that fall along the path. My original comments in my journal were "People curse our seeds. We try to believe for great things, but either past experience or other people tell us how crazy it is, and we begin to believe them." That is it in a nutshell, isn't it? We want to believe the great things God says, but we look at the past and the evidence seems to contradict it or people tell us we are nuts, and we end up exchanging the great things for the great lie. Then I did a word study, and I found it to be a bit chilling, honestly. The NIV says it this way:
5"A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up.
12 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.
The seed, the word of God, was trampled on and eaten by birds. The word study for this, as I said, is a bit chilling, in my opinion.
The devil is the word "diablos", which is the name for "satan, so called because originally he accused or slandered God in Eden. The devil still slanders God by false and blasphemous suggestions. He is also the accuser of the brethren." From this alone, we can see that the seed falls, and the accuser comes along and makes accusations and blasphemes the Lord causing us to lose faith. What lies does the enemy tell? That God doesn't care? That we aren't good enough? That He would never use us? That God likes to see us suffer? That God tolerates us because He has to? And the most horrifying part is we believe it. We have to know God. We have to know His character. It is not enough to recite John 3:16. We have to know Him. We have to know His heartbeat. We have to know His face. We have to know the very essence of Him, or we will believe the lies about Him. The enemy is very good about twisting evidence and pointing fingers at God. We have to know the Lord so well that we don't buy the lies because every time we buy a lie, we lose our seed. Yes, the Lord can restore it, but the road can be long and painful. How much easier it would be to identify the birds and the things that trample our seed and learn to battle those things and not lose the seed at all.
And the words "takes away", "airo", means to hold in suspense or doubt. The enemy doesn't have to make us leave the Lord, just doubt that He will do what He says He will. In Mark, we are told that Jesus could not do many miracles because of people's lack of faith. All satan has to do is make us doubt or suspend our belief.
The part that really shocked me was that these people believed in their hearts. The word for heart is "kardia". It means "As the seat of the desires, feelings, affections, passions, i.e., the heart or mind. As the seat of the intellect, meaning the mind, understanding." The word "believe" is "pisteuo", which means "to believe in, have faith in, trust. Intransitively, to believe, be persuaded in the truthfulness of." I don't know what "intransitively" means, but the picture is pretty clear. These are people who really believed in the truthfulness of the seed, not those who thought it was a nice theology or a moral way to live. These were people who bought into and truly believed in its truth, but because the enemy was able to accuse and blaspheme God, and these people could not tell the lies about God from the truth of God, they left what they truly believe in and bought the lie. How many people believe God wants them healed but get trampled and lose the harvest? How many believe their prodigals are coming home, but the birds eat the seeds? We have to learn to protect our seeds. And the word "saved" means "delivered or saved". Can we take a step outside typical theological discussion and suggest people want to be delivered from painful pasts, grouchy bosses, or overbearing parents? Do we have to limit the word "saved" to salvation, or can it mean being saved from whatever oppresses a person? I believe God has the seed to deliver us from all oppression, not just eternal death, but we don't know how to raise a crop for harvest. The path can be an easy place to lose seed if we don't know how to protect it.
In verse 13, Jesus said some seed falls on rocks. Rocks look different depending on whose life we are looking at, but we all have to deal with rocks. Rocks are anything that keeps our seeds from taking root, any hard place that repels the seed.
Verse 13--"Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away."
The word "receive" means "to accept deliberately and readily, take, or receive." So these people receive the word, but something causes them to not depend on the word or hold on to the word. Those are the rocks. If we are going to deal with rocks, we have to be open and honest, and we have to do it in a place of safety and accountability. The rocks are there because we let it get hard. Maybe a spouse can't see God's word about their marriage because the wounds keep them from wanting to do their part to fix it. Maybe someone isn't writing that screenplay because a professor in high school blasted them repeatedly on their papers and productions. Rocks can take all forms, but they have one thing in common--they repel seeds. Rocks have to be removed from the field if we hope to have a great harvest.
Verse 14 seems to be the most simplistic. It all seems to be wrapped up in the definition of "life". "Bios" means "life, the business and affairs of life, goods for living. Bios refers to the duration, means, and manners of life." Wow. The business of life keeps people from maturing, which means "to bring to perfect or ripeness". We get so caught up in trying to live that we never get ripe. We are so busy trying to accomplish something that we don't accomplish our calling, our purpose in the Lord. Have we so lost our identity that we don't understand the value of who we are? Have we missed the fact that only ripe fruit produce the seeds that then produce more plants and thus, more fruit? In the effort of daily life, have we forgotten the power of living? How do we allow the Lord to restore our values and renew our minds so we are matured and become seed for further harvest?
In verse 15, we are told about the seed on the good soil. The good soil has several ingredients:
-a noble and good heart
-hearing the word
-retaining the word
-persevering
These ingredients lead to producing a crop.
This is what I found during my word study on verse 15. The word "retain" is beautiful. It means "to maintain possession of, hold on to firmly, keep with care and interest, to persevere, guard, keep secure." Well, that is a sermon in and of itself. "Persevering" means to "remain under. A bearing up under, patience, endurance, as to things or circumstances. (It) is associated with hope and refers to that quality of character that does not allow one to surrender to circumstances or succumb under trial. Particularly, with the genitive of thing, as enduring evil afflictions. Specifically, patience as a quality of mind, the bearing of evils and suffering with tranquil mind."
The Lord has impressed on me that He wants His people to identify the birds and trampling feet in their lives. He wants to remove the rocks lying on the ground, and He wants to rip out the weeds that choke us. If we seek Him, He will lead us to remove these hindrances and show us how to develop good soil that brings about good crops. If you look at the seeds that do not germinate, in each case, the word is not retained, and there is no perseverance. The trampling feet, the birds, the rocks, and the weeds, make it impossible to retain the seed and persevere. The Lord wants to deal with those things in each of our lives because He has a harvest for us.
Bore-ing Things
I have had my week of being still, sort of. This week has been back to the busier side, but we've adapted well. With Fred's help, I've been having morning quiet time. He is ready to go out about 6:00 or 6:30 each morning, and since I'm the only one home at that time of the morning who will get up with him, I'm up between 6:00 and 6:30, too. We sit on the deck in our backyard, and he does his Fred thing, and I pray and read my Bible. It's a good way to start the day.
While we are outside, we also water the various flowerbeds and our vegetable garden. This morning our vegetable garden need some special attention. Last week we lost one of our pumpkin vines. I've never raised pumpkins before, so I had no idea what this looked like, maybe just a one time thing. It was obvious this morning that whatever killed the other vine was not a one time thing because a second vine had the same symptoms. So I did some internet research and found out we have pumpkin borers. There are two ways to get them out. We can cut a slit open and find the little bug, or we can cut a slit and inject an organic mixture. Then we cover the hole with dirt and pray it kills the bug before the bug kills the plant.
When I talked to Nancy at The Natural Gardener in Austin, she said there is no way to prevent the little critters, but it takes a daily check of the vines to see if there is any sign of holes or boring. Talk about perseverance! Good thing Fred and I are up early, I guess.
It made me think of the parable of the seeds actually. Luke 8 presents the story this way:
11"This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. 14The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.
Verse 15 is the key. There are steps to producing a crop. Sadly, some of us want the no-maintenance crops. I've been one of those people. Basically, we want to hear sermons, attend Bible studies, read the right books, and regurgitate well and by osmosis, produce a wondrous crop. It doesn't work that way. According to Jesus, we have to hear the word. Then we have to retain it. The Greek word used here actually means "to fight for". The enemy will steal our seed if we don't fight over it, just like those little squash borers will kill my vines if I don't kill them first. Then we have to perservere. This is a fantastic word, too fantastic to explain here, but check out my post on what the whole passage means. I have to be diligent in making sure that the seed is growing and nothing is eating away at it. Just like I need to check that squash vine everyday, I need to go before the Lord everyday and ask if there is anything boring into my spirit that could kill my seed.
I'll be honest and tell you I don't enjoy the high maintenance garden experience, BUT I love the fruit. I don't always like having to deal with what bores into my heart and spirit, but I really do like becoming like Jesus. Don't you?
Praying your seed produces great things!
While we are outside, we also water the various flowerbeds and our vegetable garden. This morning our vegetable garden need some special attention. Last week we lost one of our pumpkin vines. I've never raised pumpkins before, so I had no idea what this looked like, maybe just a one time thing. It was obvious this morning that whatever killed the other vine was not a one time thing because a second vine had the same symptoms. So I did some internet research and found out we have pumpkin borers. There are two ways to get them out. We can cut a slit open and find the little bug, or we can cut a slit and inject an organic mixture. Then we cover the hole with dirt and pray it kills the bug before the bug kills the plant.
When I talked to Nancy at The Natural Gardener in Austin, she said there is no way to prevent the little critters, but it takes a daily check of the vines to see if there is any sign of holes or boring. Talk about perseverance! Good thing Fred and I are up early, I guess.
It made me think of the parable of the seeds actually. Luke 8 presents the story this way:
11"This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. 14The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.
Verse 15 is the key. There are steps to producing a crop. Sadly, some of us want the no-maintenance crops. I've been one of those people. Basically, we want to hear sermons, attend Bible studies, read the right books, and regurgitate well and by osmosis, produce a wondrous crop. It doesn't work that way. According to Jesus, we have to hear the word. Then we have to retain it. The Greek word used here actually means "to fight for". The enemy will steal our seed if we don't fight over it, just like those little squash borers will kill my vines if I don't kill them first. Then we have to perservere. This is a fantastic word, too fantastic to explain here, but check out my post on what the whole passage means. I have to be diligent in making sure that the seed is growing and nothing is eating away at it. Just like I need to check that squash vine everyday, I need to go before the Lord everyday and ask if there is anything boring into my spirit that could kill my seed.
I'll be honest and tell you I don't enjoy the high maintenance garden experience, BUT I love the fruit. I don't always like having to deal with what bores into my heart and spirit, but I really do like becoming like Jesus. Don't you?
Praying your seed produces great things!
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Finally Being Still
Isn't it strange how quickly a few days can zip by? I've actually had a few emails from folks asking if I am okay because they have not heard from me since last week's sadness. Yes, I am fine. I'm being still. After a rather wild few weeks, it seems like a wise thing to do, and it has been good, too. The wonderful thing about being still is God showing up. He says, "Be still and know I am God." Notice we don't get the invitation to be crazy busy and know He is God. Nope. Be still and know He is God. So I've been being still, and He's been revealing Himself. It's been quite delightful.
I hate to leave y'all hanging at that, but I really don't know what to say in explanation. I find when I get still in my recliner and close my eyes and begin to focus on Him, answers to questions come to mind. Sometimes a wonderful revelation will be made known to me. Sometimes I just feel His presence so intensely, and it is soothing and renewing. That is what has been going on lately.
I contacted Studio G, a women's magazine published by our church, and I will be submitting articles to them. This has once again sent me trudging around a mountain that I was hoping had been tossed into the ocean (if you get the metaphor). When I started writing for Handmaidens (www.handmaidens.org/zine.htm), I got really nervous. I know Iona. I've known her for years. In fact, she is the one who felt led to set up my website, www.jerrismunchies.com. We know each other's hearts, and I am comfortable with her, but when I went on staff for her, my thought was, "What will I write?!" I felt completely under-equipped and overwhelmed. What had I done?! But I went back to the Lord and asked a simple question, "What do you have to say to these precious women? How do you want to say it?" Suddenly, the block was gone, and I was rolling a new format around in my head. Before I knew it, my first article was done.
With Studio G, I have had to go through the same process, except far more brief. I was sent a list of article suggestions, and I read them a few times and thought, "This is nuts. I don't write any of that stuff. What am I doing?" Honestly, I was on my way to working myself into a pretty good self-absorbed "I can't do this" when the Holy Spirit brought to mind Handmaidens. Suddenly, the tizzy fiizzled out, and I asked a simple question, "Lord, what do you want to say?" Right now, I have a few thoughts, but nothing absolute.
The only real absolutes I have are that I am only the one typing the message, not the One dictating the message, and if God has something to say, He'll tell me. In the meantime, I'll just keep being still and knowing He is God--the One who answers my problems, the One who soothes me with His presence, and the One who dictates articles He wants people to hear.
May your stillness be full of the knowledge of Him.
I hate to leave y'all hanging at that, but I really don't know what to say in explanation. I find when I get still in my recliner and close my eyes and begin to focus on Him, answers to questions come to mind. Sometimes a wonderful revelation will be made known to me. Sometimes I just feel His presence so intensely, and it is soothing and renewing. That is what has been going on lately.
I contacted Studio G, a women's magazine published by our church, and I will be submitting articles to them. This has once again sent me trudging around a mountain that I was hoping had been tossed into the ocean (if you get the metaphor). When I started writing for Handmaidens (www.handmaidens.org/zine.htm), I got really nervous. I know Iona. I've known her for years. In fact, she is the one who felt led to set up my website, www.jerrismunchies.com. We know each other's hearts, and I am comfortable with her, but when I went on staff for her, my thought was, "What will I write?!" I felt completely under-equipped and overwhelmed. What had I done?! But I went back to the Lord and asked a simple question, "What do you have to say to these precious women? How do you want to say it?" Suddenly, the block was gone, and I was rolling a new format around in my head. Before I knew it, my first article was done.
With Studio G, I have had to go through the same process, except far more brief. I was sent a list of article suggestions, and I read them a few times and thought, "This is nuts. I don't write any of that stuff. What am I doing?" Honestly, I was on my way to working myself into a pretty good self-absorbed "I can't do this" when the Holy Spirit brought to mind Handmaidens. Suddenly, the tizzy fiizzled out, and I asked a simple question, "Lord, what do you want to say?" Right now, I have a few thoughts, but nothing absolute.
The only real absolutes I have are that I am only the one typing the message, not the One dictating the message, and if God has something to say, He'll tell me. In the meantime, I'll just keep being still and knowing He is God--the One who answers my problems, the One who soothes me with His presence, and the One who dictates articles He wants people to hear.
May your stillness be full of the knowledge of Him.
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