Getting Busy...

It's that time again... spring gardening season has begun and I'm spending time working at BCC (Bloomington Country Club) and client's houses. At BCC I'm doing a lot of greenhouse work... seeding, planting, transplanting, separating, transplanting seedlings, throwing out plants I killed over winter :-) At client's houses I'm mostly cleaning beds, cutting back perennials I never got to in the fall, weeding, planning containers and annual beds, separating/transplanting perennials, ordering annuals/tropicals from suppliers... It's all fun :-)

But, when I can... I'm still finding time to snap a few images here and there (but never enough). When I returned home from work today I had to capture the crocuses that are blooming by our driveway... They always make me smile when they start their performance.

http://capturinglifecapturingmemories.blogspot.com/2011/03/capturing-spring.html

I hope everyone's spring is starting off as nice as ours... Busy, but nice. I'll try to keep up with the blogging as much as I can, but can't guarantee as frequent of postings. I'm still reading/studying the book of Colossians daily and will post thoughts as I can, even if the thoughts are simple and short. The book of Colossians is challenging and strengthening me in many ways during 2011 and getting me on a better path in life. 

Colossians 3:2 continues as my 2011 mission statement... "Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth." I read it and say it daily (usually multiple times daily). I thank God for directing me this book on January 1st... It came along at just the right time.

Colossians 3:14

"Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony."

What if we could bottle love? Not romantic love... but, ἀγάπη (agape) love... in a super glue-like mixture.

Use it to help bring people together that normally would never step foot in the same room.

Use it to bring a committee together to do productive work rather than just argue, disagree, and argue about what they disagree about. (Did that make sense?)

Use it to mend relationships broken by hurtful words and actions.

Or, better yet... Use it to bring Christians together in harmony... helping us realize that people are not the same. We all have different backgrounds, different experiences, different maturities, different personalities, different political thoughts, different trust levels, different expectations.

Yes, we can have harmony, even though we're all different... by allowing love to bind us together.

Father, help me live harmoniously with others... no matter our opinions, disagreements, skin color, personalities, backgrounds, agendas, economics, geography, nationalities. Bind us together with ἀγάπη (love).

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Colossians 4:18 "Remember My Chains"

"Here is my greeting in my own handwriting—Paul.
Remember my chains.
May God’s grace be with you."

In the United States we have days set aside throughout the year to encourage us to remember those who have given their lives, sometimes literally, for the sake of our freedom, constitution, and democracy.

The last few weeks I've been glued to news stories about what's happening in several oppressed countries... The hundreds, and even thousands, of men and women who are willing to stand up for change, democracy, and freedom. Some of these men and women will go down in history and be remembered for their courage, strength, and hope for a better tomorrow.

For several years I've felt that the Church has "over-memorialized" people, events, and places. Churches have used...
•pictures
•idols (yes, I said idols)
•plaques
•holidays
•celebrations
•halls
•classrooms
•auditoriums (sanctuaries)
•bells
...just to name a few... to memorialize. But, I wonder... have these memorials taken the place of remembering?

I honestly feel like we, the Church, have devalued the importance of remembering through memorializing... Paul didn't instruct in the verse above to erect a statue to his greatness, or make his jail cell a tourist attraction, or gold-plate his handcuffs... I think Paul and all the other apostles are groaning in dislike at the large amount of memorializing but lack of remembering.

"Remember my chains" ... Remember what he went through. Remember what he gave up. Remember what he taught. Remember Paul and his chains for the sake of Christ.

"Remember my chains."

Father, thank you for Paul and the millions of other individuals who have given their lives to further your Kingdom. Help us to remember the content of their lives rather than just memorialize them as a person.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Colossians 1:13

"For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his dear Son"

After reading the verse above, or one similar to it, have you ever thought ... "Why do I still feel like I'm wandering around in the dark?"

If you're like me... You have. Admit it!





I ask... If I'm now in the light...
• why do I keep running into things
• why am I still stumbling over objects
• why am I still running into walls
• why do I still feel so alone?

And the answer is simple...

To enjoy the light and benefit from it fully, we have to OPEN OUR EYES.



Father, forgive me for continuing to walk in darkness by not opening my eyes and enjoying all that you have to offer through the light of your Son Jesus Christ.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone