I'm basically a lazy person, especially in the area of physical exercise. But as I get older, regular workouts become more necessary to keep me strong and able to move around. The same is true with the human brain: if it receives regular workouts, it stays more limber, focuses better and keeps its memory better. Clear thinking is also important to a clear path in life; without it, we can't know how to conduct ourselves, or where we might need to change our actions.
Thinking clearly, especially about God, is work. But without it, we can't hear from God. One of the spiritual disciplines we find practiced in the Bible is meditation, which sounds to some like daydreaming and to others like a weird practice bordering on the occult. But the real definition of it, according to Richard Foster in his classic book Celebration of Discipline, is "the ability to hear God's voice and obey his word" (p.17). The references in the Bible refer to placing ourselves humbly before God in repentance and submission, and "changed behavior as a result of our encounter with the living God" (p. 15).
Jesus practiced meditation as part of his spiritual life. That guidance was crucial to him: in John 5:19, he says "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does." One of many places he is described as seeking time alone with the Father is Matt. 14:13. Being away from the crowds gave him the time and freedom from distractions to hear from his Father. And though Jesus no longer is physically present on earth, he is still active through his followers and expects us to seek him, as shown many times in the book of Acts.
Individually, meditation is a growing, familiar relationship with God through his son Jesus, as led by the Holy Spirit's work. It's a divine-human encounter; God-centered, not me-centered. It is a driving force behind a healthy daily experience of God's presence and will for us. If we don't stop to ask God "what should I do?" for our daily routine or for our emergencies and puzzles, how will we know his will? Stopping to have an internal conversation with God about our lives is one way we can be led and corrected by God.
We can meditate while we are reading scripture; looking at the wonders of Creation; thinking over a problem we face -- and stopping to ask God's direction; during prayer, when we've said all we can say and pause for God's prompting; and many other times and ways. It's best to avoid distractions, so we could predict that meditating in a quiet place would be more helpful than while driving! A good way to practice meditating is to start by reading scripture and then humbly praying for God's guidance in applying it. That's similar to what Luke says about Jesus's mother in Luke 2:19: "Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often."
Not familiar with meditation? Today is a good time to start. Worried you won't be good at it? Nobody is, at first; but as we practice meditation, it becomes more a part of our daily habits and gives us strength for the day's journey. It's worth the trouble and will give you many spiritual rewards. Why not start today?
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Gardening and Eternity
Since buying our house, The Amazing Joanne and I have been trying to grow things outside -- some to look at, and some to eat -- with different amounts of success. It's no secret that our soil needs to be improved (I wrote about that awhile back) and here in Colorado, one of the biggest tricks is knowing when to plant which thing. But one fact is sure: to get something to grow, you have to actually plant it.
Paul knew that was a fact in spiritual life too. In Galatians 6:7-8, he writes "You cannot fool God, so don't make a fool of yourself! You will harvest what you plant. If you follow your selfish desires, you will harvest destruction, but if you follow the Spirit, you will harvest eternal life." He wrote this in the context of selfishness versus generosity, but I think it applies pretty much across the board.
What's important, then, is to find ways to 'follow the Spirit' as a habit -- to put ourselves in the position of being able to hear the Spirit's voice of guidance, so we can respond. From earliest Christian practice, people have used spiritual tools called "Discipines" to help them hear from the Spirit. Earlier in Galatians, (5:16) Paul wrote "So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves." In verse 19, he says "When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear" and then he goes on to list the kind of sins and addictions that are all around us -- the kind of sins we have all been guilty of! Then he says "the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." Which of these lists would you rather have characterize your life? Whether we like it or not, that will depend on what we invest our time and effort in.
Richard Foster defines some of these spiritual disciplines as "Inward"; that is, dealing with our thoughts: meditation, prayer, fasting, and study of God's word. Outward disciplines he notes are: simplicity, solitude, submission, and service. Corporate disciplines, those that we can practice together, include confession, worship, guidance, and celebration. Jesus used spiritual disciplines, and so should we. I'll be writing on these disciplines as a series, and hope that they will help you as well as me.
What we put in the ground determines what kind of garden we grow. What we invest our time and energies in, determines the shape of our lives. I suggest we invest in the disciplines to allow the Spirit to shape our lives in the way he wants to.
Paul knew that was a fact in spiritual life too. In Galatians 6:7-8, he writes "You cannot fool God, so don't make a fool of yourself! You will harvest what you plant. If you follow your selfish desires, you will harvest destruction, but if you follow the Spirit, you will harvest eternal life." He wrote this in the context of selfishness versus generosity, but I think it applies pretty much across the board.
What's important, then, is to find ways to 'follow the Spirit' as a habit -- to put ourselves in the position of being able to hear the Spirit's voice of guidance, so we can respond. From earliest Christian practice, people have used spiritual tools called "Discipines" to help them hear from the Spirit. Earlier in Galatians, (5:16) Paul wrote "So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves." In verse 19, he says "When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear" and then he goes on to list the kind of sins and addictions that are all around us -- the kind of sins we have all been guilty of! Then he says "the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." Which of these lists would you rather have characterize your life? Whether we like it or not, that will depend on what we invest our time and effort in.
Richard Foster defines some of these spiritual disciplines as "Inward"; that is, dealing with our thoughts: meditation, prayer, fasting, and study of God's word. Outward disciplines he notes are: simplicity, solitude, submission, and service. Corporate disciplines, those that we can practice together, include confession, worship, guidance, and celebration. Jesus used spiritual disciplines, and so should we. I'll be writing on these disciplines as a series, and hope that they will help you as well as me.
What we put in the ground determines what kind of garden we grow. What we invest our time and energies in, determines the shape of our lives. I suggest we invest in the disciplines to allow the Spirit to shape our lives in the way he wants to.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Overload
Have you ever been working on a project and plugged one too many tools into an electrical outlet? Suddenly, the power for that outlet cuts off, and you're stuck until you can re-set the circuit. Despite its frustrations, this is a safety feature to keep you from frying yourself or starting a fire somewhere. An overloaded circuit simply won't do what it's designed to do -- deliver power.
I get into that state sometimes: four writing projects, three meetings, two emergency phone calls (somebody will start singing "and a partridge in a pear tree" pretty soon) and my nerves are fried. Sometimes I find my thinking going around and around the same little racetrack of all there is to do, without being able to get a real start. Or fear starts in and tells me I'm going to miss getting something done and end up on the sidewalk with a cardboard sign. All of it is foolish thinking, of course, but it sucks up the available energy and I start reacting with frustration instead of the love I should have. It's time to focus on the one, most important thing.
What's the 'most important thing'? Getting back to relying on the love and power of God, instead of staying on the hamster wheel of relying on myself and my energies. In Psalm 142, after several verses talking about being overwhelmed, David says "Then I pray to you, O Lord. I say, 'You are my place of refuge. You are all I really want in life. Hear my cry, for I am very low. Rescue me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me.' "
When he wrote Psalm 142, David was reflecting on his experience hiding in a cave, running for his life from Saul's entire army. And to think I get worried over a messy office! David said: "You are all I really want in life" and he was exactly right. Sermons, study papers, meetings, conference calls, home repairs, dirty floors, fussy children, and lost dogs will all come and go. Only God is forever.
"They are too strong for me" says David. Mine are too strong for me, too, and only God's strength can keep me from being swallowed up by too much stress (or paper). I need to ask God for the calm, and his love, to do each task with love, which is not my natural thought when I'm overloaded. Only his love flowing through me will keep the circuit alive, and the real power available. Then maybe I can get some of this done!
I get into that state sometimes: four writing projects, three meetings, two emergency phone calls (somebody will start singing "and a partridge in a pear tree" pretty soon) and my nerves are fried. Sometimes I find my thinking going around and around the same little racetrack of all there is to do, without being able to get a real start. Or fear starts in and tells me I'm going to miss getting something done and end up on the sidewalk with a cardboard sign. All of it is foolish thinking, of course, but it sucks up the available energy and I start reacting with frustration instead of the love I should have. It's time to focus on the one, most important thing.
What's the 'most important thing'? Getting back to relying on the love and power of God, instead of staying on the hamster wheel of relying on myself and my energies. In Psalm 142, after several verses talking about being overwhelmed, David says "Then I pray to you, O Lord. I say, 'You are my place of refuge. You are all I really want in life. Hear my cry, for I am very low. Rescue me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me.' "
When he wrote Psalm 142, David was reflecting on his experience hiding in a cave, running for his life from Saul's entire army. And to think I get worried over a messy office! David said: "You are all I really want in life" and he was exactly right. Sermons, study papers, meetings, conference calls, home repairs, dirty floors, fussy children, and lost dogs will all come and go. Only God is forever.
"They are too strong for me" says David. Mine are too strong for me, too, and only God's strength can keep me from being swallowed up by too much stress (or paper). I need to ask God for the calm, and his love, to do each task with love, which is not my natural thought when I'm overloaded. Only his love flowing through me will keep the circuit alive, and the real power available. Then maybe I can get some of this done!
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Cleaning & Maintenance
The Lovely Joanne came home from a business trip, walked into our bedroom and started sneezing. I knew she hadn't become allergic to me (and I'd had a shower that day) so it had to be something in that room. Out came the vacuum, furniture cleaner and window cleaner, and the room got cleaned out. We found dust bunnies under the bed and behind the furniture, and a lot of dust from places we had forgotten we had. But a week later, it was coming back, so we've had to do it again. And again. The lawn needs mowing, weeds keep growing, and the house needs different repairs -- it seems impossible to keep ahead of it all.
Isn't it like that with our spiritual lives too? We just get one thing under control -- so we think -- and something else pops up. Like dandelions in green grass, we seem to have problems popping up one after another, and they sometimes get ahead of us. Just when we think our anger is defeated, lust pops up, or envy or resentment. And when we work on those, anger makes a comeback.
David prayed in Psalm 51: "For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night." He had learned what he was like, and he felt helpless against the power of sin in his life. David's release from guilt was through repenting, throwing himself on God's mercy and leaving his guilt behind through the forgiveness God gives.
But he also knew that sin would never leave him alone. He prayed "How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults." (Psalm 19:12). Part of David's spiritual life was maintenance work -- stopping to ask God to show him what he needed to know about himself, looking in the deeper corners of his thoughts and emotions, and asking for forgiveness from sins he hadn't recognized before.
Prayer, study, meditation, fasting, solitude and silence, simplicity, service, confession, worship and other spiritual disciplines are the 'maintenance tools' of our spiritual lives. Like the extension wand on the vacuum, they help us to get into the recesses, the little-seen parts of our lives that accumulate sin and bad habits. Like window cleaner, they help us see better. Like cleaning and oiling a bicycle, they help us function as we were designed to, walking alongside God and hearing from him all the time. On the other hand, if we neglect these disciplines, then the dust and rust, and the sin and guilt and shame and pain build up in our lives, and we start falling apart.
A couple of highly useful books in this area are Richard Foster's "Celebration of Discipline" and Dallas Willard's "The Spirit of the Disciplines." A daily devotional, either in book form or as an online tool coming to your phone or email inbox, can also help keep us in front of God. (Biblegateway.com and Crosswalk.com are two of hundreds of online resources.) Whatever way we do it, spiritual maintenance is a necessary, not optional, part of life with God. So if you don't have such a plan, now is a good time to start one. Need help designing one? Just ask.
Isn't it like that with our spiritual lives too? We just get one thing under control -- so we think -- and something else pops up. Like dandelions in green grass, we seem to have problems popping up one after another, and they sometimes get ahead of us. Just when we think our anger is defeated, lust pops up, or envy or resentment. And when we work on those, anger makes a comeback.
David prayed in Psalm 51: "For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night." He had learned what he was like, and he felt helpless against the power of sin in his life. David's release from guilt was through repenting, throwing himself on God's mercy and leaving his guilt behind through the forgiveness God gives.
But he also knew that sin would never leave him alone. He prayed "How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults." (Psalm 19:12). Part of David's spiritual life was maintenance work -- stopping to ask God to show him what he needed to know about himself, looking in the deeper corners of his thoughts and emotions, and asking for forgiveness from sins he hadn't recognized before.
Prayer, study, meditation, fasting, solitude and silence, simplicity, service, confession, worship and other spiritual disciplines are the 'maintenance tools' of our spiritual lives. Like the extension wand on the vacuum, they help us to get into the recesses, the little-seen parts of our lives that accumulate sin and bad habits. Like window cleaner, they help us see better. Like cleaning and oiling a bicycle, they help us function as we were designed to, walking alongside God and hearing from him all the time. On the other hand, if we neglect these disciplines, then the dust and rust, and the sin and guilt and shame and pain build up in our lives, and we start falling apart.
A couple of highly useful books in this area are Richard Foster's "Celebration of Discipline" and Dallas Willard's "The Spirit of the Disciplines." A daily devotional, either in book form or as an online tool coming to your phone or email inbox, can also help keep us in front of God. (Biblegateway.com and Crosswalk.com are two of hundreds of online resources.) Whatever way we do it, spiritual maintenance is a necessary, not optional, part of life with God. So if you don't have such a plan, now is a good time to start one. Need help designing one? Just ask.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Marriage
I've decided I love my wife.
I hope that is no surprise to The Amazing Joanne, but of course like all married men, I sometimes don't act like I love her, and often I don't appreciate her as I should. Proverbs 18:22 says "The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the Lord." So according to that verse, I've got a treasure and have received favor from God. I agree! I don't deserve her love, and I am blessed more than I can measure to have a life partner, friend and the amazing ministry partner she is, in my life.
Paul says in Ephesians 5:25 that husbands should "love" their wives. In society of that time, marriage was a social convenience for raising heirs to the man's family, and love was often given to the man's mistress instead. As he often did, Paul turns this human idea on its head and says that the man should love his wife "just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her." Men tend to be a tad more selfish than that. Sometimes if we're being heroic we give up our lives for a cause, but not for our wives. But Paul instructs us that, as the Messiah sacrificed himself for the sake of the church, husbands should give up our own agendas and desires and priorities in order to serve our wives.
Marriage experts will tell you that a wife will feel nurtured and cherished by this behavior by a husband, and respond by loving him; but Paul doesn't talk about whether a wife will respond, he merely says this is our duty. Her response, if any, is secondary and we aren't to serve in anticipation of a return, but because God says we must. (Loving in order to get a response that we want isn't really loving anyway.) Still, it shouldn't be drudgery; in verse 28, he says "In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself."
A man who will love his wife this way, whether he feels like it or not or thinks she deserves it or not, learns some of the love that Jesus himself has for his church (a church that is, by all accounts, not perfect nor sometimes seems loveable). He may learn some humility as he reflects on how our Savior loves the church in spite of itself, and so loves him in spite of himself; and that might encourage him to love his wife with true selflessness. I'm working on that one and will be for some time to come. But still grateful for the treasure and favor God has given me in Joanne.
I hope that is no surprise to The Amazing Joanne, but of course like all married men, I sometimes don't act like I love her, and often I don't appreciate her as I should. Proverbs 18:22 says "The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the Lord." So according to that verse, I've got a treasure and have received favor from God. I agree! I don't deserve her love, and I am blessed more than I can measure to have a life partner, friend and the amazing ministry partner she is, in my life.
Paul says in Ephesians 5:25 that husbands should "love" their wives. In society of that time, marriage was a social convenience for raising heirs to the man's family, and love was often given to the man's mistress instead. As he often did, Paul turns this human idea on its head and says that the man should love his wife "just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her." Men tend to be a tad more selfish than that. Sometimes if we're being heroic we give up our lives for a cause, but not for our wives. But Paul instructs us that, as the Messiah sacrificed himself for the sake of the church, husbands should give up our own agendas and desires and priorities in order to serve our wives.
Marriage experts will tell you that a wife will feel nurtured and cherished by this behavior by a husband, and respond by loving him; but Paul doesn't talk about whether a wife will respond, he merely says this is our duty. Her response, if any, is secondary and we aren't to serve in anticipation of a return, but because God says we must. (Loving in order to get a response that we want isn't really loving anyway.) Still, it shouldn't be drudgery; in verse 28, he says "In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself."
A man who will love his wife this way, whether he feels like it or not or thinks she deserves it or not, learns some of the love that Jesus himself has for his church (a church that is, by all accounts, not perfect nor sometimes seems loveable). He may learn some humility as he reflects on how our Savior loves the church in spite of itself, and so loves him in spite of himself; and that might encourage him to love his wife with true selflessness. I'm working on that one and will be for some time to come. But still grateful for the treasure and favor God has given me in Joanne.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
"God Doesn't Love Me"
"Yeah, I know, the Bible says 'God so loved the world' but that means the planet -- not people like me." I know people who feel this way; who insist that it's impossible for God to love someone who is like they are. The way some people act, it is certain they don't feel loved, or believe that God loves them. But is God's love for us true, whether or not we believe it?
Here's how Paul put it in Ephesians 1: "Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure." This says that the Father committed himself a long time ago -- really, before time existed to measure 'a long time ago' -- to create us and bring us into his circle of love. And to create the mechanism for that inclusion, the Son (we know him now as Jesus Christ) committed to come into human flesh, to bring us to the Father through the Spirit's work.
People hadn't been made yet, and the first sin hadn't been committed when all this planning took place. But because God (whom we know as Father, Son and Spirit) created us with the freedom to make choices, it was inevitable that somebody, sometime, would make the wrong choice and send us all down the wrong path. So the decision of God to love us and save us in spite of our sins was inevitable, right from the first. It was part of the package.
That means this: God already knows what kind of person you are, and loves you anyway. Jesus, the Son of God in the flesh, loved you so much he went through the same meat-grinder of physical life that you go through, and then died to pay for all our lousy decisions (including the idea that God doesn't love us!) and then was brought back to life to give us life. "God is love" (1 John 4:8) and since God himself is limitless, God's love is limitless,which means he loves you whether you're having a good day (or life) or a bad day (or life). He created you and me out of love, and he intends to love us forever.
That's his story, and he's sticking to it.
Here's how Paul put it in Ephesians 1: "Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure." This says that the Father committed himself a long time ago -- really, before time existed to measure 'a long time ago' -- to create us and bring us into his circle of love. And to create the mechanism for that inclusion, the Son (we know him now as Jesus Christ) committed to come into human flesh, to bring us to the Father through the Spirit's work.
People hadn't been made yet, and the first sin hadn't been committed when all this planning took place. But because God (whom we know as Father, Son and Spirit) created us with the freedom to make choices, it was inevitable that somebody, sometime, would make the wrong choice and send us all down the wrong path. So the decision of God to love us and save us in spite of our sins was inevitable, right from the first. It was part of the package.
That means this: God already knows what kind of person you are, and loves you anyway. Jesus, the Son of God in the flesh, loved you so much he went through the same meat-grinder of physical life that you go through, and then died to pay for all our lousy decisions (including the idea that God doesn't love us!) and then was brought back to life to give us life. "God is love" (1 John 4:8) and since God himself is limitless, God's love is limitless,which means he loves you whether you're having a good day (or life) or a bad day (or life). He created you and me out of love, and he intends to love us forever.
That's his story, and he's sticking to it.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Soul Amendment
The Lovely Joanne has been working in the soil lately, planting flowers and helping me in the vegetable garden. The soil around our house is mostly clay, which is fine for some plants and not so fine for others. We've decided that it needs "amending" which is a term for adding different components to the soil. Soil amendments loosen the soil or make it hold water better, or make it more or less alkaline. This is so the soil can be more balanced, have more nutrients available for the plants, and in general help the plants grow better -- that is, soil the way it's supposed to be.
I have a plan for soil amendment in our garden. You may or may not have realized that God has a "soul amendment" plan going on in your life. Why is that? Well, all of us have grown up in a world that is far from what God intended. In Romans 5, Paul describes the desolation that rejecting God has brought on the world: "When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned." So even if we had loving parents and a happy childhood, we've grown up in a broken world, and one way or another we ourselves are broken. We need help--and God gives it! It comes in the form of "soul amendment" -- not only forgiveness of our sins, but a whole new life in Christ, a life of growth and change.
Some of what my lawn and garden need can be simply spread on top, and it will soak in and do its work. Other amendments need to be dug into the soil, so out come my shovel and spading fork to turn it all upside down. The worms aren't happy about being dug out of their home, but it has to be if I'm going to give then a new bunch of goodies to chew on. Sometimes 'soul amendment' has to be done that way too, even though it seems very painful at the time. James writes in chapter 1: "Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow." Ouch! Joy?? I'd rather be comfortable, and receive joy from getting a fat tax refund. But being comfortable doesn't usually help us grow, and it won't break up the spiritual 'hard ground' we've all inherited as children of Adam and Eve.
We usually don't know how to handle the discomfort during a trial or difficult time. James continues in verse 5, "If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking." God doesn't leave us alone or without resources -- he remains a generous and loving Father who wants us to thrive, and will provide wisdom and encouragement. Sometimes those come from his word, and sometimes from other people.
Soil amendment can be hard work, and it takes time. Same with soul amendment. But in both cases, the eventual result is beautiful growth, showing the best of God's creation -- the way it is supposed to be -- in our gardens, and in our souls.
I have a plan for soil amendment in our garden. You may or may not have realized that God has a "soul amendment" plan going on in your life. Why is that? Well, all of us have grown up in a world that is far from what God intended. In Romans 5, Paul describes the desolation that rejecting God has brought on the world: "When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned." So even if we had loving parents and a happy childhood, we've grown up in a broken world, and one way or another we ourselves are broken. We need help--and God gives it! It comes in the form of "soul amendment" -- not only forgiveness of our sins, but a whole new life in Christ, a life of growth and change.
Some of what my lawn and garden need can be simply spread on top, and it will soak in and do its work. Other amendments need to be dug into the soil, so out come my shovel and spading fork to turn it all upside down. The worms aren't happy about being dug out of their home, but it has to be if I'm going to give then a new bunch of goodies to chew on. Sometimes 'soul amendment' has to be done that way too, even though it seems very painful at the time. James writes in chapter 1: "Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow." Ouch! Joy?? I'd rather be comfortable, and receive joy from getting a fat tax refund. But being comfortable doesn't usually help us grow, and it won't break up the spiritual 'hard ground' we've all inherited as children of Adam and Eve.
We usually don't know how to handle the discomfort during a trial or difficult time. James continues in verse 5, "If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking." God doesn't leave us alone or without resources -- he remains a generous and loving Father who wants us to thrive, and will provide wisdom and encouragement. Sometimes those come from his word, and sometimes from other people.
Soil amendment can be hard work, and it takes time. Same with soul amendment. But in both cases, the eventual result is beautiful growth, showing the best of God's creation -- the way it is supposed to be -- in our gardens, and in our souls.
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