~Summertime Blessings!~

 Hello all! Lately, we have been enjoying the many tasty delights that come along with summer! ;) The other day my dad brought home a HUGE watermelon from a local orchard! (It filled 4 gallon zip lock bags!) Such a yummy treat! :D

We also had some of our very own garden produce coming off such as green beans, squash and today we had corn! 

Here my dad and younger brother were diligently shucking the corn. :)

I suppose you could call this next one a rather corny picture. :P

I remembered that we had a small book about crafts that were made in Laura Ingalls day that had instructions on how to make a corn husk doll...so my younger brother put his creative flair to use and made one. I thought it turned out quite well! ;)

In addition to growing edible things, we have also had some very pretty flowers growing in our pasture! One evening my younger brothers were sweet to join me in picking some. :)

Just as God created all these beautiful things for us to watch grow and to enjoy the good fruit of the plants, we too, should strive to grow daily in Christ and to yield good fruit in Him!

"Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church."

~Eph. 4:15~

"...like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation..."

~1 Peter 2:2~

"And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men."

~Luke 2:52~

"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen."

~2 Peter 3:18~

We can grow in Christ by seeking Him and reading His Word and through prayer. In order to grow in Christ we must abide in Him. 

 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

~John 15:5~

Some of the definitions of abide are...to rest, or dwell or to continue permanently or in the same state; to be firm and immovable. 

That's my desire, to rest, dwell and continually remain in Christ! 

"In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following. But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers."

~1 Tim. 4:6-10~

Just as plants need good soil and nourishment to grow we need to find our nourishment in Christ and His word! Psalm 1:2 and 3 says,

 ^"But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."

Some of the fruit we should strive to cultivate in our own lives and allow the Lord to produce in us are mentioned in the following verse.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."

~Gal. 5:22,23~

And as we well know, gardens must not only be watered, ("...so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word..." ~Eph. 5:26~) and nourished, but they also have to be tended to and weeds must be plucked out. When the water of the word comes into our lives, our hearts can be softened toward the things of God and He can help us to overcome sin in our lives and can cause us to be producers of good fruit, useful and ready to be used by Him! What a wonderful Savior we serve! May we all choose to yield our entire lives to Him to be transformed by Him and conformed to His perfect image!

"Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may  prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."

~Rom. 12:1,2~

 "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children...for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light  (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.

~Eph. 5:1a, 8-10~