Risk Love and Courage

Just as I sat slightly anxiously considering the risks today.
Today three churches are gathering together. They're mixing food (culture,) music (culture,) and party conversation (culture.) I had already dealt with the anxious thoughts of weather and attendance. This morning is gorgeous and a lot of folks are coming.
These new thoughts went to- tribal risks. What if something breaks and each tribe starts to blame the other church? What if any of the food, music, conversations start to stress those cultural understandings and cross into misunderstandings?
Oh Dear Lord.
And just as the thought formed words, the pastor introduced the "new layer of love" he has been meditating about recently. Romans 5:5.
Love is poured out into our hearts. This love grows a courage. That courage will allow three churches to gather. That love will allow three tribes to worship God in the neighborhood God placed them in. That love is God.

It is going to be a great day. Without such love, there is great risk. But today there is great courage.

Frog Hiding

We live near a lake. No surprise since really everyone in South Florida lives near some body of water or another. In our area we have frogs that get really loud at night. I don't see them but I can really hear them. I've often wondered where are they hiding. well here's one chilling in a bog lilly like its a hammock.

Surprise Pineapple Grandbaby

One year after my first, I found this beauty today. I hadn't even looked because I didn't expect another pineapple could follow so quickly. Any name suggestions?

Caught in a Private Moment

Midnight Planted Spaces Now Bursting

Maybe there is something to planting by midnight, because I have a large amount of very happy tomatoes.  This bed was planted at midnight January 8 as I returned from Atlanta. The Full Moon seemed to stick around a little longer.                       Of course it could also be the occasional rains we are having this winter or maybe the quality of the seeds. But in either case I'm glad I have cilantro growing. It may be a year for salsa. 

Planting by Moonlight

I did it and did it literally. I planted as much empty soil space as I could. And I planted in the light of the full moon last week.  I write today because already a sprout of cucumber is busting forth.

It's funny to operate in the dark. There are several Biblical passages about light and dark, Jesus as the light of the world, etc. The experience left me pondering. Here are a few raw thoughts.

It takes a while for your perspective to adjust. Dropping into a new situation, it's best to sit and acclimate to the view. Short-term mission teams get this wrong all the time. They just drop in and start to work. Often making a mess of things.

You really ought not get in the way of the light source. If you block the moonlight, you become the shadow. Get out of the way. Oh how often we block the source of light!

Thursday= Full Moon= Garden Begins

I've heard rumored advice to plant at the full moon that follows the equinox. But I'm still pretty sure that gardening in Zone 10b probably shouldn't follow advice from zones 5 and 6. 

If I had taken that advice and planted at October's full moon, I'm sure my garden would have washed out with the late tropical storm activity we had. However my habeneros and pineapples all seem to be perfectly happy.

Waiting one more month has been essentially a great excuse for pure procrastination.
But Thursday is the day. I'll plant seeds any where I can see dirt and sunshine. And I'll let you know how it goes.