Growing In Christ

[Taken]

Spring-

Ok April_Rose...you are officially the Calender Keeper. :)

You post the Seasons, Holidays with good tidings. Awesome!

So...getting to the business of Seeds and Planting;

Spiritually and Naturally "Tiny little seeds"...
Planted in "good" soil...can grow beyond what one can imagine.

Spiritually- we have corrupted our Flesh, and Soul...(that in the beginning, God created and made "very good").

So following the ORDER...
Very good- to corrupt.
Offering to restore ones soul.
Accept the Offering.
Flesh and soul forgiven.
Soul Restored to Good. (Pss 23:3)
Heart circumcised. (New heart) (Ezek 18:31)
Time for Planting.
God plants His Seed in the new heart, good soil. (1 John 3:9)
What shall grow? How big? How fruitful?
Mystery.
Good? Yes.
How big, How fruitful...
Revealed Day by Day as we journey on this SHIP all heading to the Same Destination.

:)

 

[Taken]

Spring-

Started amending Veg Garden soil months ago (till global warming showed up with SNOW and Freezing Weather)...paused

Sowing Veg, Flower and Herb Gardens this week.

Trees are sprouting new leaves, only a few blossoms on the fruit trees.
Already have some wild flowers making their showing...and a few butterflies...
Gods awesome beauty, makes work a pleasure.

Then there is that...Spring Cleaning thingy, if none of you are busy...

 

[amadeus]

Friends-

Have to say;
Jesus, Is my Greatest Friend;
Some Family Members are my best friends;
A handful are my longest time friends;
And many are my newest friends.

Friend-SHIP-

A Bond OF people ALL sailing TO the SAME DESTINY.

How's that for a Profound Thought? :)

God Bless,
Taken

Sounds profoundly friendly!

 

[amadeus]

Spring-

Started amending Veg Garden soil months ago (till global warming showed up with SNOW and Freezing Weather)...paused

Sowing Veg, Flower and Herb Gardens this week.

Trees are sprouting new leaves, only a few blossoms on the fruit trees.
Already have some wild flowers making their showing...and a few butterflies...
Gods awesome beauty, makes work a pleasure.

Then there is that...Spring Cleaning thingy, if none of you are busy...

I miss that gardening thing. I started with my first tomato plant many years ago in California putting it into that wonderful soil during the early years of my marriage. It put forth lots of juicy red tomatoes for us. That was really a very long time ago, but after that I never missed planting my garden usually increasing the size of it when we had enough room. Even when we moved to our present apartment in 2013, I got permission and fenced in a small area at the back of the building and grew a few vegetables. About 4 years ago I had to cut back as to even weed the little area was getting to hard for an old man. I still had a couple of tomato plants for another season but about 2 years ago I finally threw in the towel and don't even break the ground there anymore. I still plant a few flowers for my wife just outside of our door, but that is it.

I loved to garden because it was a special time for me with the Lord. When I was working on my job which was a stressful mind involved job, I came home unable to think clearly my brain scrambled. I would go out in the evenings as well on days off and hoe the weeds or water or what ever talking to God as I worked. The time was God's time.

Here it is Spring of 2021 and no garden. One old friend I met at the Social Security office in the course of my work, who was born in Italy and married a Spaniard, advised me to plant my garden each year on St Patrick's Day. I always tried to follow his advice but sometimes the weather sometime made it an impossible thing to do.

He was a nice old fellow and we got along very well for years until someone killed him and his wife on their Social Security record. They came into the office complaining to me as their friend and as their Spanish speaking advocate about their untimely death. I had to resurrect them. Is that almost blasphemous? They both finally did pass from this life several years later...but I will always remember them.

 

[amadeus]

Spring-

Ok April_Rose...you are officially the Calender Keeper. :)

You post the Seasons, Holidays with good tidings. Awesome!

So...getting to the business of Seeds and Planting;

Spiritually and Naturally "Tiny little seeds"...
Planted in "good" soil...can grow beyond what one can imagine.

Spiritually- we have corrupted our Flesh, and Soul...(that in the beginning, God created and made "very good").

So following the ORDER...
Very good- to corrupt.
Offering to restore ones soul.
Accept the Offering.
Flesh and soul forgiven.
Soul Restored to Good. (Pss 23:3)
Heart circumcised. (New heart) (Ezek 18:31)
Time for Planting.
God plants His Seed in the new heart, good soil. (1 John 3:9)
What shall grow? How big? How fruitful?
Mystery.
Good? Yes.
How big, How fruitful...
Revealed Day by Day as we journey on this SHIP all heading to the Same Destination.

:)

 

[Tone]

Haha! I like this!

And guess what Walmart gave me with my order today? Guess how excited I was on a scale of 1-10? I'll give you a hint: it was 35

I like your analogy too, @April_Rose really cool :)

What is that, the bag it came in?

Signs signs... everywhere the signs...!

 

[April_Rose]

Before I get on with today's lesson let me catch up on all the other posts. :)

Okay, who can spot the three flamboyant jail birds?!:


View attachment 13953

And yes, this all has got to do with friends!

I spotted all three of them even though it took me a few moments to spot the third one. :)

Haha! I like this!

And guess what Walmart gave me with my order today? Guess how excited I was on a scale of 1-10? I'll give you a hint: it was 35

I like your analogy too, @April_Rose really cool :)

Cool, and thanks!!

Signs signs... everywhere the signs...!

Hehe.

 

[April_Rose]

Not sure where my other response went as it was all about how I don't really do spring cleaning since I'm not much of a neat freak lol but today's lesson will be posted soon I promise. :)

 

[April_Rose]

Btw, @Taken thank you for making me the keeper of the calendar as that was very kind of you lol and that works out perfectly because today's topic is all about kindness. :)





So what does kindness mean to all of you? Well to me it means doing nice things for others without expecting anything in return even if they don't deserve it, not saying anything at all if it's going to hurt somebody's feelings and as seen in this first video,.. sharing.

Also, as I watching Mary Poppins last night I thought this would be the perfect song to post to show that it doesn't take much to show kindness towards others. :)

Finally to close off today's lesson the golden rule is also found in the Bible and I find it a very important rule indeed. :)





Matthew 7:12 "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the law of the prophets."






I hope you enjoyed today's lesson and speaking of sharing, I would really like you to share your thoughts and opinions with me on this topic and all of the ways we can or you have shown kindness towards others. I will let you know if I think of any stories myself and tomorrow's topic will be all about patience so I hope you all can patiently wait until then. :)

 

[April_Rose]

Btw, @JohnDB might want to see this too and go back for yesterday's lesson, but I know he likes Stone Soup and my church told that story one time and had their own version of it. I also remember hearing it read to me in kindergarten. :)

 

[Taken]

Kindness-

The Joy of giving.
I like to give and do for others.

 

[DuckieLady]

What is that, the bag it came in?

Signs signs... everywhere the signs...!

Sometimes when you do Grocery Pickup during certain seasons they pass out little reusable bags of samples and little treats. I gave the treats to the kids- and the bag. It's full of toys now. lol My thread was out of stock and they even picked out the PERFECT color for my muslin. They do a good job!

So what does kindness mean to all of you?

For me, I think kindness is just consideration and it's best expressed through pleasantness. You can be kind without doing anything other than just being respectful and being nice to be around. I think you're right in that kindness is sometimes doing things for people that don't deserve it, and I think that's also part of grace.

Your impression makes me think of a story in a book by Renee Ellison. I can't remember which one. (I've read like six of them.) But the story was about how one daughter-in-law always came by to check on her father-in-law. She came over to vacuum and help out around the house while everyone else was too busy to pay attention or while the other daughter-in-laws were called "useless" because they didn't think they had that responsibility!

I think that's kind, but more of an act of love and understanding of taking responsibility for her place. Things like that are very important that we kind of pass on in our generation and we're not taught to do them. Old school values.

Then there is that...Spring Cleaning thingy, if none of you are busy...

Did that all day yesterday! Unintentionally on the first day of spring.

 

[April_Rose]

Kindness-

The Joy of giving.
I like to give and do for others.

That's very interesting that you bring that up because happiness will be a topic that will be covering at a different time. Anyways, I saw this video that depicted kindness and you'll have to skip towards the end if you only want to hear that particular story, but it was all about a man who loved to draw and parents of a special needs child that recently passed away.

 

[Charlie24]

Well guys it's the first day of spring and welcome to the first lesson in my new series that will help us to grow as Christians,.. but before I get to that I'm going to add a little bit of symbolism.




As beginning (baby) Christians we start off as seeds.





View attachment 13942







Then once we turn to Christ He becomes our soil and foundation and we dwell within Him and He dwells within us. :)





View attachment 13943








Like the sun He shines His light into our lives when we are headed through the darkness. :)




View attachment 13944







Then the wisdom that we get from His Word becomes the water we need to help us to grow as Christians. :)




View attachment 13945






So eventually we can grow big and strong in our faith and wisdom and present our nice fresh and ripe fruit.






View attachment 13946








And yes I seriously made that all up by myself. :) (The symbolism part that is.)








So anyways here's a bit of water for all of the seeds in Christ here today to help us to grow big and strong. Today's topic is all about friendship. :)






So what exactly does it mean to be a friend? What does it mean to you? Well to me I think it means celebrating the things you have in common with that person, but when there's disagreements and differences learning to accept them anyways. I think it means to realize that whenever there are conflicts to understand that neither of you are perfect and it's always good to admit when you are wrong and forgive the other person when they admit they are wrong. It's always good to be there for your friend whenever they need you and try to help them out in every way that you can. :)





I consider Jesus to be my best friend because He was always there for me even when I didn't deserve it and that's also the sign of a true friend. He forgives me for my mistakes, and loves me unconditionally, and He even gave His life for me. Checkout this quote in the Bible all about friendship!!



John 15:13- "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends."





So there you have it! Those are my thoughts on friendship but I'll be really curious to hear all of your own. I hope you enjoyed part one and tomorrow we will be discussing kindness. :)

Something that I picked up from the OP.

If we concentrate on being a friend rather than having friends, Christlikeness will shine forth.

That was very good Rose! It was a pleasure to read!

 

[Tone]

Sometimes when you do Grocery Pickup during certain seasons they pass out little reusable bags of samples and little treats. I gave the treats to the kids- and the bag. It's full of toys now. lol My thread was out of stock and they even picked out the PERFECT color for my muslin. They do a good job!

That's awesome!

Oh nice, you're a seamstress?

Uhhh, what exactly is a muslin...sounds exotic?!

Oh yeah, one more nosy question...what color?

 

[DuckieLady]

That's awesome!

Oh nice, you're a seamstress?

Uhhh, what exactly is a muslin...sounds exotic?!

Oh yeah, one more nosy question...what color?

It's just a cotton fabric It's like a natural beige? Maybe ecru. It's this and this is what I started on yesterday. (Needs ironing.) It's just to go under the dresses. I am finishing it up today. Probably took 2-3 hours by hand. I'm not a seamstress. I just make my daughter's clothes for modesty.

I will make a real dress later and I'll probably dye the fabric with red cabbage or turmeric, if she wants yellow.

 

[Tone]

It's just a cotton fabric It's like a natural beige? Maybe ecru. It's this and this is what I started on yesterday. (Needs ironing.) It's just to go under the dresses. I am finishing it up today. Probably took 2-3 hours by hand. I'm not a seamstress. I just make my daughter's clothes for modesty.

I will make a real dress later and I'll probably dye the fabric with red cabbage or turmeric, if she wants yellow.

That's so neat...you're an excellent mother (as you know), thanks for sharing!

 

[DuckieLady]

That's so neat...you're an excellent mother (as you know), thanks for sharing!

Aw thanks! I try. :)

 

[April_Rose]

Sorry that I disappeared guys but I went for a walk as it's beautiful outside and in the lower sixties which means that spring has officially come woohoo!!! Anyways, I was busy thinking about what @FluffyYellowDuck was saying and I do believe that she had a point. Kindness and grace go hand in hand just like the kindness and grace the Lord has shown to us by giving us our salvation through Christ Jesus. :)





I have a few quick announcements! First of all there will be days off including Easter, Earth Day, Mother's Day, Memorial Day, and any days where I'm either sick or rather busy. If the latter there will be two lessons/topics in a day instead of just one. Oh and here's a little head's up,.. occasionally (like tomorrow for instance) I will be assigning out homework hehe. Don't worry though it's not going to be hard and most of it will be fun just like the quizzes that I will schedule. :)






Now this isn't going to be homework, but here's a little extra credit. I'm going to be writing a story called "The Gardner and The Rose" and posting it on here in creative writing and then posting the link for it in this thread when I'm finished. For extra credit I would like you to go ahead and read it and tell me whether or not you liked it and what you think it means. :)





Oh and this is just a fun video for springtime. :)

 

[Tone]

Sorry that I disappeared guys but I went for a walk as it's beautiful outside and in the lower sixties which means that spring has officially come woohoo!!! Anyways, I was busy thinking about what @FluffyYellowDuck was saying and I do believe that she had a point. Kindness and grace go hand in hand just like the kindness and grace the Lord has shown to us by giving us our salvation through Christ Jesus. :)





I have a few quick announcements! First of all there will be days off including Easter, Earth Day, Mother's Day, Memorial Day, and any days where I'm either sick or rather busy. If the latter there will be two lessons/topics in a day instead of just one. Oh and here's a little head's up,.. occasionally (like tomorrow for instance) I will be assigning out homework hehe. Don't worry though it's not going to be hard and most of it will be fun just like the quizzes that I will schedule.






Now this isn't going to be homework, but here's a little extra credit. I'm going to be writing a story called "The Gardner and The Rose" and posting it on here in creative writing and then posting the link for it in this thread when I'm finished. For extra credit I would like you to go ahead and read it and tell me whether or not you liked it and what you think it means. :)





Oh and this is just a fun video for springtime. :)

Wow, did you know your gifts...are showing...?!