Growing in Him

I planted some flowers yesterday---

the air was thick and heavy

the dampness made even my stick straight hair friz out all over my head

the wind was blowing in that eerie way it does right before it storms

I love working in the dirt--I had no shovel or spade and potted all my pretty flowers by hand (my hands were filthy,but boy was it fun!)

Yellow marigolds, blue lobelia, purple allysum and some pretty white vine-y thing that is beautiful

I crammed them in close in little pots for my front porch

I was a little worried that I squished them in too close but my mom says it is fine--and that is the thing about flowers--they have shallow root systems

this made me think of Sunday School this past week

we are studying James and in chapter 5 there is a reference to "how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it,until it receives the early and the late rains."

Some really cool thoughts (not all my own) came out of our discussion of that verse--

• Growth comes between the rains; we need those dry times to grow in out faith
• Plants that get water all the time have really shallow root systems, plants that endure more arid conditions have deep root systems--Lord, I want to have a deep root system-firmly rooted in You!
• Plants need the warmth and the light of the sun, likewise we need the light of the Son.
• The phrase " early and late rains" is often used in Scripture in connection with the Sovereignty and faithfulness of God. In an agricultural society they needed the rains, they were dependent on them but more so they needed to be dependent on God, as do we. Deuteronomy 11:13-17

Hosea 6:3 "Let us know, Let us press on to know the Lord; His going out is as sure as the dawn; He will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth."