Oh, amen to this! I’ve seen the most amazing thing play out in our church over the last year. As some of us were moved to other churches, or sidelined by illness, or afraid to attend because of Covid, God has moved so many “unknowns” into those vacated positions. They have stepped up & filled those positions! They have the talent, skill & courage to get the work done!
Sometimes we get so used to seeing the same people fill the same positions that we forget God has others who can do the work just as well. And sadly, some of US think that we are indispensable, & we have an inner celebrity attitude that God must despise.
It’s good to remember that we are replaceable. God’s will moves forward always…with or without us. It’s our job to stay available, humble & teachable if we want to remain in our role doing God’s work. When we are no longer usable, God will use someone else.
Sometimes, it feels like everyone else is doing so well. Achieving. Growing. Accomplishing.
While I seem stuck. In a rut. Making no great progress. Just existing. Or to be honest, just barely existing.
My tasks feel unimportant. My growth is so slow. Even I’m bored with me.
But as my pastor reminded me last night, there are no unimportant jobs in Christ’s work. And even my small contributions are worth my very best effort.
Whether I’m doing dishes…or calculating our budget…or greeting a church visitor with a smile…or praying for my church leaders… maybe sending out a get well card… these “small” efforts are important in God’s grand scheme. And I should do my best.
His goal for me isn’t great accomplishments. His goal is my growth. He wants me to keep growing to be more like Him.
And even if my growth isn’t the same as some others…
I am still growing.
Be faithful in your tasks today, my friend. God will bless your work in His way & in His time.
We’ve been busy, busy, busy, getting seeds into the ground and setting up our garden. This will be another picture post, as I don’t have a lot of left-over energy for writing all the words that make the sentences that make the sense. 😉
Tomato and Pepper Seedlings sending up their little stems.
I’m trying to be patient and wait for the second set of leaves on these little guys before I transplant them!
And even though I didn’t get a picture of him, we’ve seen a little bumble bee buzzzzzzing around our blueberry plants. Yay for pollinators!!!
Coconut coir, vermiculite, perlite and compost
I’m becoming enamored with mixing my potting soil. It’s so satisfying to move the ingredients around until they thoroughly mixed and ready to go into the planters.
Bare root strawberries
These arrived in the mail on Monday. We soaked them and got them into the soil right away! Isaac’s old wagon makes a great planter. It even has pre-made drainage holes in the bed! The company I ordered from sent FOUR extra strawberry starts. I had to scramble and find another planter. They looked very healthy after their bath and I’m so excited to see how they do!
This represents about 1/3 of our garden so far. The drip irrigation was a new project for me, and I enjoyed it immensely. AND it was incredibly satisfying to turn the water on for the first time and get water dripping into EVERY plant and have no leaks or lines popping!
We still need to regulate the nozzles on the stakes, to be sure each plant is getting the right amount of water, but since some of these plants won’t be in this section, we’ll wait to do that when the final buckets are in place.
Urban trellis.
All of our climbing vegetables and fruits will be in front of the gate here, trailing up these sections of fencing. We’ll have a couple different kinds of melons, cucumbers, squash, zucchini and more.
The master list
The master plan
My plan is ambitious, I know! And I’m hoping it’s a success. But ultimately, I know that I will learn so many things, whether I have a successful garden or not. Then I can build on the knowledge I have, and the things I’ve learned, to make a more successful garden the next time.
Ultimately, I’m leaving the results up to the Heavenly Gardener! After all, He’s the Creator of each tiny little seed I planted. We’ll see what He wants to teach me as I garden this year.
Onions just peeking through the soil. Happy radishes!Drip line irrigation for the spatially-challenged. 😆These are going to smell sooo yummy! Funky nasturtium seeds.
We’re staying busy in the garden. Waiting to transplant tomatoes & peppers as soon as they are ready.
BECOME, v.i. becum’. pret. became, pp. become.1. To pass from one state to another; to enter into some state or condition, by a change from another state or condition, or by assuming or receiving new properties or qualities, additional matter, or a new character; as, a cion becomes a tree.
BECOM’ING,ppr., Fit; suitable; congruous; proper; graceful; belonging to the character, or adapted to circumstances; as, a dress is very becoming.
Let’s make sure that we’re becoming as we are becoming!
Romans 12:3 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
The Lord wants us to be like Him, to be conformed inwardly to the image of Jesus.
As we consider the image we’re conforming to, realize that God loves beauty and lives in a beautiful setting. Read the description John and Isaiah give:
Revelation 2:2-3 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.
And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.
Isaiah 1:27-28 …I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.
As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD.
As we study and memorize the Word of God, and conform and grow into His likeness, let’s make sure we are showing not only the spiritual growth, but also an outward glory and beauty.
There is nothing as beautiful as a smiling, pleasant face and eyes that light up when they speak to you. A kind word can be a glimpse into God’s beauty, too. Modest clothing that draws attention only to our face, and a face that glows with the peace of God is a delightful thing to see.
Like the blueberry, we have many steps between our quickening seed of salvation and our finished fruit of His likeness, but let’s be sure that with every step of the process, we’re shining with His glory and beauty.
Obtaining Mercy 