"Vocation is all about how God works through human beings."
This article by Gene Edward Veith is in the June issue of Tabletalk. While other things are discussed, I thought his insights into our vocation and God's calling in our lives was very well written.
"We are not all called to be farmers. But whatever our vocations, we can all be sowers who go out to sow."
Monday, June 29, 2009
Friday, June 12, 2009
Successful Replanting
In my daily tour of the garden, I was pleased to see that the green beans that I replanted are up! Thanks to a wee bit of rain, a noisy aluminum pie pan and, mostly, The Master Gardener.
It is a relief to see them up. As long as nothing else happens to them, we should be up to our eye balls in beans. I'll need to keep an eye out for critters since the beans are in the new part of the garden and a bit closer to the woods. I've seen a rabbit out in the field, but not near the garden, yet.
While we did not get as much rain as other folks, it certainly seemed to perk things up. The broccoli is looking wonderful. Everything seemed to benefit from the rain we received (imagine that)...even the weeds.
O LORD,
I marvel that thou shouldst become incarnate, be crucified, dead, and buried....
O Lord, there is much ill about me - crucify it,
much flesh within me - mortify it.
Purge me from selfishness, the fear of man, the love of approbation,
the shame of being thought old-fashioned,
the desire to be cultivated or modern....
Give me courage for all the trials, and grace for all the joys.
Help me to be a holy, happy person,
free from every wrong desire,
from everything contrary to thy mind.
Grant me more and more of the resurrection life:
May it rule me,
May I walk in its power, and be strengthened through its influence.
--an excerpt from Crucifixion and Resurrection from The Valley of Vision
It is a relief to see them up. As long as nothing else happens to them, we should be up to our eye balls in beans. I'll need to keep an eye out for critters since the beans are in the new part of the garden and a bit closer to the woods. I've seen a rabbit out in the field, but not near the garden, yet.
While we did not get as much rain as other folks, it certainly seemed to perk things up. The broccoli is looking wonderful. Everything seemed to benefit from the rain we received (imagine that)...even the weeds.
O LORD,
I marvel that thou shouldst become incarnate, be crucified, dead, and buried....
O Lord, there is much ill about me - crucify it,
much flesh within me - mortify it.
Purge me from selfishness, the fear of man, the love of approbation,
the shame of being thought old-fashioned,
the desire to be cultivated or modern....
Give me courage for all the trials, and grace for all the joys.
Help me to be a holy, happy person,
free from every wrong desire,
from everything contrary to thy mind.
Grant me more and more of the resurrection life:
May it rule me,
May I walk in its power, and be strengthened through its influence.
--an excerpt from Crucifixion and Resurrection from The Valley of Vision
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Crop Failure
On the 25th of May, I planted my green beans.
Green beans are the main veggie in our household. They are easy enough to can, which our family seems to prefer over frozen. This is OK with me, since we eat to many, it leaves more room in the freezer. Green beans eaten freshly picked with melted butter...oh yeah. My hubby likes them with olive oil; he likes everything with olive oil.
There is only one other time that I have had trouble with my beans. One year about half the seeds never came up! One whole row. This year, none of them came up. Day after day I would go to check to see if they were beginning to peak through the ground...nothing. On Friday, I dug around a bit to see what was going on underground...nothing. So, Saturday, I got out our little Mantis tiller and worked up the area where the beans had been planted. I found the remains of only two bean seeds. Neither were even sprouted. Thankfully, there remained enough seeds to replant the two long rows of beans. I put some old CDs on string and hung them from stakes to, hopefully, help keep the birds away with the movement and flashing sunlight. I also hung up an old aluminum pie pan out to make some noise.
Our garden gives us the bulk of our vegetables for the year. Since we are no longer such an agrarian society, I think that it becomes so easy to forget how much we are dependant on God for our food. Even with all the technology that the huge farms use, they still are dependant on the Creator for the growth of their crops.
All this helps me remember that I can plant the seeds, but I am not in charge of their growing. I am totally dependant on the Creator for rain and other favorable conditions to grow the plant that gives us food. I plant and pick and preserve (there is sweat in there, too...remember that whole "...by the sweat of your brow" thing?).
Of course this goes hand in hand with sharing the gospel. We are to used by God to plant seeds. God gives the increase. We are not in charge of what God does with the seeds.
R. C. Sproul said in this month's Tabletalk, that " I can take no credit for the response that I made for Christ. God not only initiated my salvation, He not only sowed the seed, but He made sure that the seed germinated in my heart by regenerating me by the power of the Holy Ghost. That regeneration is a necessary condition for the seed to take root and to flourish." God does all the work from beginning to end.
May I continue to grow in Christ as his seedling, working my salvation out with fear and trembling. I am praying, too, for my little garden and its increase.
Green beans are the main veggie in our household. They are easy enough to can, which our family seems to prefer over frozen. This is OK with me, since we eat to many, it leaves more room in the freezer. Green beans eaten freshly picked with melted butter...oh yeah. My hubby likes them with olive oil; he likes everything with olive oil.
There is only one other time that I have had trouble with my beans. One year about half the seeds never came up! One whole row. This year, none of them came up. Day after day I would go to check to see if they were beginning to peak through the ground...nothing. On Friday, I dug around a bit to see what was going on underground...nothing. So, Saturday, I got out our little Mantis tiller and worked up the area where the beans had been planted. I found the remains of only two bean seeds. Neither were even sprouted. Thankfully, there remained enough seeds to replant the two long rows of beans. I put some old CDs on string and hung them from stakes to, hopefully, help keep the birds away with the movement and flashing sunlight. I also hung up an old aluminum pie pan out to make some noise.
Our garden gives us the bulk of our vegetables for the year. Since we are no longer such an agrarian society, I think that it becomes so easy to forget how much we are dependant on God for our food. Even with all the technology that the huge farms use, they still are dependant on the Creator for the growth of their crops.
All this helps me remember that I can plant the seeds, but I am not in charge of their growing. I am totally dependant on the Creator for rain and other favorable conditions to grow the plant that gives us food. I plant and pick and preserve (there is sweat in there, too...remember that whole "...by the sweat of your brow" thing?).
Of course this goes hand in hand with sharing the gospel. We are to used by God to plant seeds. God gives the increase. We are not in charge of what God does with the seeds.
R. C. Sproul said in this month's Tabletalk, that " I can take no credit for the response that I made for Christ. God not only initiated my salvation, He not only sowed the seed, but He made sure that the seed germinated in my heart by regenerating me by the power of the Holy Ghost. That regeneration is a necessary condition for the seed to take root and to flourish." God does all the work from beginning to end.
May I continue to grow in Christ as his seedling, working my salvation out with fear and trembling. I am praying, too, for my little garden and its increase.
Heavenly Scent
In my weed-infested perennial gardens are one of my favorite flowers...Dianthus Bath's Pink. These dainty pink flowers have the most amazing scent. It is almost reminiscent of fresh cotton candy. These flowers have been in full bloom for a little over a week filling the air all around the back patio with the most refreshing aroma. It seems that my Bath's Pink smell especially wonderful this year. The pure joy of enjoying these flowers is so very relaxing.
After enjoying some time outside the other day, I began to wonder if Heaven would have the scent of my Bath's Pinks. How amazing to have a heavenly garden full of fresh fragrances filling the air...with no weeds. It would be most "Heavenly".
O DIVINE REDEEMER,
Great was thy goodness in undertaking my redemption, in consenting to be made sin for me, in conquering all my foes;
Great was thy strength in enduring the extremities of divine wrath, in taking away the load of my iniquities...
Great was thy wisdom in devising this means of salvation; Bathe my soul in rich consolations of thy resurrection life;
Great was thy grace in commanding me to come hand in hand with thee to the Father,
to be knit to him eternally,
to discover in him my rest,
to find in him my peace,
to behold his glory,
to honour him who is alone worthy;
in giving me the Spirit as teacher, guide, power, that I may live repenting of sin,
conquer Satan, find victory in life.
When thou art absent all sorrows are here,
When thou art present all blessings are mine.
--Excerpts from Victory from the book, The Valley of Vision
After enjoying some time outside the other day, I began to wonder if Heaven would have the scent of my Bath's Pinks. How amazing to have a heavenly garden full of fresh fragrances filling the air...with no weeds. It would be most "Heavenly".
O DIVINE REDEEMER,
Great was thy goodness in undertaking my redemption, in consenting to be made sin for me, in conquering all my foes;
Great was thy strength in enduring the extremities of divine wrath, in taking away the load of my iniquities...
Great was thy wisdom in devising this means of salvation; Bathe my soul in rich consolations of thy resurrection life;
Great was thy grace in commanding me to come hand in hand with thee to the Father,
to be knit to him eternally,
to discover in him my rest,
to find in him my peace,
to behold his glory,
to honour him who is alone worthy;
in giving me the Spirit as teacher, guide, power, that I may live repenting of sin,
conquer Satan, find victory in life.
When thou art absent all sorrows are here,
When thou art present all blessings are mine.
--Excerpts from Victory from the book, The Valley of Vision
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