Things Grow Quickly

Have you ever noticed that weeds grow substantially faster than the grass we try so hard to maintain? Weeds have no problem sprouting up, whether the place is bare or seemingly full of good grass. Spiritual lessons abound, I'm sure, but we'll delve into those later.

We were blessed to have the Rueff's come for a visit! It was so so good to see them. Silas is getting so big! We shared meals, got to catch up and pray for each other; it was just wonderful.

Jarrod imitating Silas  

Jarrod learned first-hand of a 9 month old's maniacal tendencies: walking, or crawling as the case may be, towards some forbidden object then just before making the last strike and attacking said object, he gives a quick look-around to see who's watching. The devious grin appears, and bam! The bike / fan / curtain has become Silas's new toy. Haha. Really though, he is a great baby and we so enjoyed spending time with him.




   
  
We were able to take our guests on a tour of Southern; praise the Lord for once the heat index was not quite 105! We feel so privileged to be studying here and love getting to show people around (not that we entirely know our way, mind you).  The coolest thing happened while we were in what I affectionately call my wallet's bane, the LifeWay store on campus. Matt wanted to look for a Holman Christian Standard Bible so we asked the manager (who Jarrod and I have become well acquainted with, lol) where they would be. He said to hang on just a second, turned around and picked up a box from the back counter and said, "here, have this one". Whoa! Apparently some one had come in earlier and did some kind of exchange with Josh (manager) and since Josh already had a good HCSB, he wanted to give it to some one. What a cool blessing!

Jarrod finished up his into the Biblical Counseling class, I think he really enjoyed it. It challenged him in ways he wasn't expecting. He is taking these next two weeks to finish work for that class and begin the monstrous amount of reading assigned for his fall classes. Please pray for him that he can retain information, manage time, and real bask in the Lord during this time.
I am waiting to schedule an interview with a hospital in their labor and delivery unit (super excited about that potential!) and also, praise the Lord, have an interview set up for Monday at 11am with another hospital in essentially a cardiac ICU. I could definitely see myself working there. Thank you all so much for continually lifting me up to the Father; He is at work!

Okay, back to the weeds thing: I was thinking about this yesterday while Jarrod and I were working with a group from church doing yard work in a local neighborhood. There is one garden two other ladies and myself have been plotting and attacking to free from the vice-grip of weeds all summer. Each week, we seem to make significant progress, but upon our return the following week, the weeds have regrown with a vengeance and launched new attacked on previously peaceful ground. It's a bit discouraging to be honest.

So, while somewhat-mindlessly pulling weeds,I considered how our lives are so like gardens: there are some beautiful plants with magnificent blooms that cause others to stop and smell, pondering the beauty of creation; and then, at least in my life, there are weeds. Some weeds I know about; they are ugly with stickers and through various means I try to uproot them, or (usually) at least cover them up. Other weeds creep in slowly, sometimes being so bold as to disguise themselves as desired plants.
Recorded in John 15, Jesus calls Himself the true vine and the Father the vine dresser (ESV). He says that in order to bear fruit (or blossom to continue my metaphor), we must be in Him. He says that every branch that does not bear fruit, He (the Father) takes away (see also Matt 15). This is done we so might bear more fruit. Verse 8 says, "By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples". We can't pull our own weeds, we need the Father to prune us. We submit to His work through the Holy Spirit to 'weed-eat' and 'mulch' our life gardens. The present blisters on my fingers remind me that pruning can be difficult, even painful at times. I get so focused on the here-and-now, my selfish desires, that I forget to look forward to what the garden can become, to see the work the Lord is accomplishing.

I want to have a beautiful garden that points to how good my God is. He is so faithful, and gracious, and good.

I hope this note encourages you, as writing it did for me, to enjoy beautiful gardens and to bear much fruit for the glory of the Lord.

We love you! Thanks for checking in :) and we'll update again soon, promise.
Till the next edition-
the Reeds