Monday: Planting Time

A man sowed good seed in his field, but while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.

Good Morning, my dear brothers and sisters. The last week of February is upon us and it is time to talk about that garden and planting those seeds. And it is Monday, the day we pray for our leaders in Washington, in our State Houses, and also in local government. It is also the day we pray for our veterans, our active military, our police and firefighters, and all those who work hard to keep us safe and healthy ... God bless this group.

Yesterday right before church, Stanley, one of our flock at the Bridges, said it was about time to get those onions into the ground. Now this 80-plus year-old resident, who recently went elk hunting and bagged a big one (and it was good as he shared it with us), is ready for spring. This very caring man goes many times a week to the store for fresh veggies and fruit which he shares at his table at the Bridges. We watched as some light snow was falling and we talked about what is known as the onion snow, which you get after March 17th. So as soon as Stanley can turn the earth, those onion sets will be in. His tomato plants are already growing in his small apartment. So our talk was on my mind, and after praying about it, God set me out to talk to you about planting those seeds and taking care of them. It is time for all of us to get our gardens in order ... before you can have a harvest, you must work for it. I pray this message will take the week to get out, ending this Friday with communion. While I don't hear from many of you, I do hear that our on-line communion is welcomed.

Matthew 13: 24 Jesus told them another parable: "The Kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. (NIV)

Planting Time: When I look back to my very first memories of my very early childhood, I remember how my mamma and my pop would work the dirt in the spring. Mamma would bring in plants from her flower garden in the back yard in the fall, and in the spring she would set them out. Now we did not have a big back yard, but she would get that dirt ready, mixing in the dirt that fell under our rabbit pens to make the ground rich. She would work and work on this. My pop would go across the street from our home where there was a very large lot and no one had built on yet, so the owners would let the neighbors section it off for gardens. We kids would help with this, and after Christmas we gathered up all the Christmas trees and took them to the lot, and we would build forts with them. Around the first of March, Pop would burn the trees and then spread the ashes over the ground to make it rich. Then he and the neighbors would start turning the earth. Oh, and it was done with a spade and a rake. In the meantime, both of them worked on planting other seeds, oh, yes, Pop would start seeds in the windows of the house for tomatoes, and mamma, well she would water her plants, but the seeds that I remember most were how they sowed them in my brother and me. Mamma made most of our clothes (sure wish she had something other than wool for winter), but she made our good clothes and she would see that we went to Sunday School and Church, and she would go over our lesson papers when we got home. My mamma and Pop both loved the Lord, and you know, back in the days of no TV, I remember how we would sit around the table and they would read from the Bible. And Wednesday night was prayer meeting night. Yes, back then my parents were getting me ready, for in this case I was the dirt (no wonder I get ring around the collar). Anyway, I remember some of the early lessons, the story about the birth, and the story of Noah, and other stories of the Bible. I didn't think of it as getting the dirt ready for that first planting, but that was what it was.

Now I must confess here, although I did some planting of seeds in my younger adult life, and did help see that our kids got some early learning about Jesus, I did not carry the ball the way I should have. If not for their mother much of it might have been missed. But the seeds did get planted. As for me, well I had started my walkabout. But folks, I did come back, and that is for another day, but those early seeds my mamma and pop planted had to do with that. So folks, as I wrap up today's message, I want you to know it is never too late in life to start working the earth, and to start sowing those early seeds. And I want you all to remember this, we are not just planting a garden for others, although we will surely give away most of the crops. We are getting a garden ready, we are working on our very own garden, and surely we will also benefit from the harvest. You do understand there are people who are helping with the harvest that do not have a clue about how to plant it and get it ready. Meaning this in my terms, we have people who are out telling others about our Lord Jesus who might not be saved. So folks, as you work your garden, remember to not just be talking to your children, but to talk to your fellow gardeners about Jesus also. And sometimes it is just nice to go to your garden alone ... and just talk to Jesus.

Tomorrow, finding good seed, and making sure it gets planted in good ground ... where do we find the seeds? A hint ... you should be reading it daily.

Dear Lord, we come today first wanting to turn the earth, and to me that is repenting from our sins, we need to get the bad out of the ground and keep it out. And Lord, we need to prepare the ground to be Holy Ground, and for that we need Your help and understanding while we grow in You. Lord, although I know in my mind that I am saved, I still want to work for You and to grow and grow in Your word. I want to keep working towards the big and final harvest on earth ... help us with that today. Bless our leaders, our president, and all others. Bless our military people, past and present, and their families, and all others who work to keep us safe and sound ... in the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Now go forth, getting the dirt ready to receive the seed, and searching out good seed to plant ... and folks, you can get in practice for the harvest by sharing things from the shelf that you have now... share those blessings, please. love ya, dan.