Effort

“In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.”‭‭2 Peter‬

Feeling the Love

“But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”‭‭Romans‬ ‭5‬:‭8‬ ‭ The heavy fog every night lately has done wonders for the view in these parts. Magical feathers of rime frost, built layer upon layer, have turned the landscape into a winter wonderland to

The Garden

“Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there he placed the man he had made.”‭‭Genesis‬ ‭2:8‬ ‭ This is my garden. Well, part of it. It’s been a work in progress for over 20 years. I plan. I plant. I dig up. I replant. I weed. I trim, prune,

How Unexpected

“Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.”‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭3:11‬ ‭ The lady slippers are out! To the discerning eye, the ditches in these parts are dotted with yellow this

Risk of Frost

“Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?”‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:35‬ ‭ The Saskatoons are blooming! Which means, of course, a risk of frost. (If you aren’t familiar with

Faux Finish

“The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith.”‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭1:5‬ ‭ I love terra cotta pots. I love uniquely shaped pots – like urns, bowls, troughs – anything that looks interesting, I wanna put a plant in.

Odd Man Out

“Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory.”‭‭Romans‬ ‭15:7‬ ‭ It was – definitely odd. A flock of ducks on a slough. (Well, that part isn’t odd. It’s spring migration, and we in these parts see millions of birds as they pass through in their way

Experience Wanted

“May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.”‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭3:19‬ ‭ You’re ready. Almost. Your name is called. Nerves are a factor, but you’ve been preparing for this. Your speech is

True Love

“This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.”‭‭1 John‬ ‭4:10‬ ‭ True love. That tingling in the toes, all the stars dancing, butterflies in the stomach? The Hallmark Hollywood version? Nope. Not it. Fun, exciting, exhilarating even –

How to See Everlasting Love

“Long ago the Lord said to Israel: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.”‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭31:3‬ ‭ He doesn’t say it as much as he lives it. It’s in the way he greets me in the morning. It’s in those wonderful Sunday breakfasts. It’s