Spread God's Word Like Seeds

 Luke 8:11-15
“This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 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. Those on the rocky ground 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 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. But 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."

Zinnias brighten any day.

My daughter and I sat on her porch and observed the fading zinnias. A few pink, orange, and yellow flowers hung on, as petals fell away and left seed heads. While we chatted, she popped one of the heads off the stem and rubbed the nubs between her fingers. Before long, her hand filled with little gray, spear shaped seeds. For about twenty minutes, we harvested seeds from the dried heads. Now she has a bag full to spread in her garden next year. I'm excited to see if they germinate, grow, and produce a beautiful rainbow.

In Luke 8, Jesus shared the parable of the farmer who planted seeds. Some fell on a path where they were trampled, some on rocky ground where the roots didn't grow, some among thorns which choked them out, and others on good fertile soil. I've planted zinnia seeds in my flower bed, and they didn't produce one seedling. I don't know if the birds ate the seeds, or they didn't germinate and root. I plan to try again next year. My daughter has good soil to plant her zinnias. They tend to grow taller than they are supposed to.

Jesus wants His followers to continue to spread the seed of His word and encourage people to get to know Him. He wants me to share his truths, regardless of where the seeds fall. Rather than be discouraged by poor soil, I want to continue to spread the good news about Jesus and pray hearts are prepared to hear from Him.

He loves every person and wants a relationship with all of his sheep. As the farmer continued to sow the seed, so will I.

Prepare your heart like the good soil and persevere to grow an abundant crop.

The Practice of Every Day

Something about autumn draws me back to the kitchen.

I enjoy making soups in the fall and winter. 

The simple act of folding a blanket and fluffing a pillow brings me joy.

On Sunday, I found myself washing dishes in my mom's kitchen.

The act drew me back to the days when I didn't have an 

automatic dishwasher, and all of our dishes were washed in the kitchen sink.

My shoulders relaxed, and I reminisced about 

spending time practicing the ordinary arts. 

I still do plenty around the house, and as I've grown as a person, 

I realize those simple acts are a gift to my family. 

Now, as I dry a dish or fold a towel, I'm grateful for God's abundance.

 

Quiet the Noise

1 Samuel 3:19-21
The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the Lord. The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word.

Do not let the noise of the world keep you from hearing the voice of the Lord.

When I worked at the college library, a storm passed through and knocked out the electric. The silence felt intense. No computers hummed, the students had gone home, the HVAC shut down, and the fluorescent lights no longer buzzed. I'm not sure I realized how much noise filled my ears when the electric worked. I found the quiet peaceful.

Physical sound isn't the only noise of the world. Opinions, commercials, chaos, directions, voices on all sides of every topic fill the void. Sometimes they make so much noise and cause so much distraction, I no longer hear the most important voice, because I'm no longer listening.  

In 1 Samuel 3, Samuel heard God's voice, but he didn't recognize Him. God called to him, but Samuel thought his mentor Eli spoke to him. Samuel didn't know God well enough to hear Him. He'd been learning and serving, but he didn't know the voice of God. Eli explained to him, God is calling you, and He wants to know you and for you to know Him. Go back to sleep and wait for God to call on you. Samuel did and just as Eli said, God revealed himself to Samuel.

Amid the noise, seek to hear the voice of God. His is the one I want to listen to as He guides me through this crazy life. When I hear from God, I know I'm on the best path, the one He's paved for me. I may not hear an audible voice, but I do know in my heart when He speaks because the Holy Spirit reminds me to listen. He nudges me to be quiet and hear my Father's voice.

Quiet the noise and listen to God.

Soul Care

I see lots of commercials and products that encourage me 

to take care of my body. 

Eat right, exercise, watch cholesterol, go for checkups. 

What about taking care of my soul? 

When my soul is weary or hurting, I'm drained.

Where do I find soul care?

From my heavenly Father, his words in the Bible, prayer, worship, nature,

His love, and the love of my family and friends.

Thank you God for restoring my soul.

 

Historical Fiction: A View Most Glorious by Regina Scott (American Wonders Collection Book #3)

Book Description:
Reluctant socialite Coraline Baxter longs to live a life of significance and leave her mark on the world. When her local suffragette group asks her to climb Mount Rainier to raise awareness of their cause, she jumps at the chance, even though she has absolutely no climbing experience. If she can do it, any woman can do it. And after her mother issues an ultimatum--that Cora marry the man of her mother's choosing if she is not successful--Cora must do it. But she can't do it alone.

Noted mountain guide Nathan Hardee initially refuses to help Cora, but has a change of heart when he sees what is at stake. He knows enough about the man Cora's mother has chosen to know that the headstrong young woman should have nothing to do with him, much less marry him.

Climbing Rainier will require all of Cora's fortitude and will lead her and Nathan to rediscover their faith in God and humanity. These two loners make unlikely partners in righting a wrong and may just discover that only together is the view most glorious.

My Thoughts:
Coraline Baxter has spunk and purpose. She's level headed and adventurous, qualities that go against her society upbringing. Nathan Hardee is hardworking and thoughtful, yet he's fallen from the grace of society because of his father. Mount Ranier, the star of the story, shines as a beautiful creation to be respected and admired. When Coraline's step-father hires Nathan to lead them on a climb to the summit, Nathan isn't certain it's a good idea, but Coraline has plans and is determined. Coraline's mother adds another layer to this delightful story. She's a lady in the societal sense of the word. Her daughter climbing a mountain leaves her spinning. Oh, and there is a potential suiter for Coraline. Let me say, he's not the nicest guy in town. Regina Scott has spun an enjoyable tale of determination, faith, and courage. I've read all three of the American Wonders Collection and loved each one. If you enjoy adventure, history, and romance you'll love A View Most Glorious. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Start Fresh

2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Sometimes we need to think like a relief pitcher.

We watch a lot of baseball at our house. Tim works as an usher for the Cincinnati Reds. Two of our grandsons play (and a granddaughter plays softball,) and when the Reds are away, we watch their games on television. We root for the starting pitcher to get the game going, then for the relief pitchers who, we hope, finish the game well. In baseball, the relief pitcher enters the game after the starting pitcher has a high pitch count, or has become ineffective. Games often employ more than one reliever. Those guys do their best, but in the games where they just can't get the other team out, they are relieved by another reliever. Here's the thing, the relief pitcher can't let themselves get stuck if their performance fails to meet the needs of the team. Instead, they have to shake it off and keep their bad day from spilling into the next game.

Think like a relief pitcher. Each day gives me a new opportunity to start again. Just because the previous day stunk, doesn't mean today has to follow suit. We all have those times we'd just as soon forget or at the least, push behind us. I thank God He's the God of second chances. He urges me to repent from sin and start again. He renews my spirit every day. He encourages me to not lose heart.

I can imagine how a relief pitcher feels when they fail to live up to their potential. I've been there. I get discouraged when I fail. But each day is a brand-new opportunity to renew my faith and seek my Father in heaven. Earthly troubles are just that—earthly. God gives us hope through Jesus and help through the Holy Spirit.

Start fresh each day with Jesus.

Adjust the Sails

There may be days when the winds of life blow in difficulties.

We can't change the circumstances, but we can change how we react.

Jesus brings hope to every situation. Ask Him to help adjust the sails.