Georgia Home Garden 1.0 Under Contract

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There are times in my life where I am just speechless. I have learned that many of the "coincidences" of life aren't really those at all, they are God speaking to me.  So we have had Georgia Home Garden 1.0 on the market for about two months, we have had several lookers and even two offers.  They were both low ball offers and in earnest we tried to work with the buyers but to no avail they all fell through.

I have been praying for guidance from God to guide me in knowing what to do and praying that our house will sell.  During this same time, we have not been going to church regularly like we normally do and I haven't been studying His word.  Of course I always had a good reason:  we are too busy right now, too tired, we will watch the service on TV, we will start back after we get settled, etc.

Well yesterday we went back after being away for a few weeks and people asked about our house in Sunday school and if we had any offers, offered prayer and support, etc.  So yesterday afternoon, I was thinking about how I have been neglecting my relationship with God and my blog and that is when I decided to post about my new house yesterday.

Today we got another offer on Georgia Home Garden 1.0 from someone that looked at the house yesterday.  It was a much better initial offer, we countered with some small changes, and we are officially under contract.  Our closing date is end of October if everything works out.

I thought about how I have been praying and hoping, yet while at the same time neglecting my relationship with God.  It is no coincidence that this all happened the day after my actions reflected my prayers.  Today, I felt God speaking to me, "Why were you so worried.  All you had to do is trust me and continue to actively have a relationship with me.  Why were you so stressed all those nights praying for this  when in the grand scheme of things doesn't even matter.  You have your health, your wife and kids, you have everything you need, and yet you worry about something like this?"

His words rang in my head loud and clear today.  Now I am not suggesting that just going to church is an instant ticket to getting your prayers answered, far from it.  However, in this particular situation in my life, this was clearly not a coincidence.  I am reminded of this scripture verse that I have heard frequently over the last few years.  I am also reminded that things don't happen on my timeline, but on His.  

Jeremiah 29 : 11-13
¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹² Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

God is the One Who Makes The Seed Grow

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I am a Christian, and I know enough to know that I don't know anything, and what I do know is only because of the grace of God. God is teaching me new things through His Word and His Spirit that lives inside me.  This week a piece of scripture moved me and it also is gardening related so that is why I would like to share it.

It is 1 Corinthians 3:4-9 from the New Living Translation

⁴ When one of you says, “I am a follower of Paul,” and another says, “I follow Apollos,” aren’t you acting just like people of the world?

 ⁵ After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. ⁶ I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. ⁷ It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. ⁸ The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. ⁹ For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building.

My Interpretation of this Scripture:
Paul is writing to the Corinthians and is explaining to them that just because he told them about Christ and just because Apollos continued that message, they should not say they are followers of Paul or Apollos.  They are followers of Christ, their Lord and Savior.  Paul planted the seed in their hearts by telling them about Christ.  Apollos watered that seed by continuing to preach the good news after Paul planted the seed.  But it is God and only God that makes that seed grow in a person's heart.  God's holy spirit makes that seed grow, the person who plants the seed of God's word and the person who waters it are only workers for God to achieve the same result.

This passage really moved me this week, it put some things into perspective for me.  It is hard when you pray so hard and witness to people that are unbelievers, especially for family and friends.  It reminded me that I am not the source of someone accepting Christ and becoming a believer.  Only God can make that happen.  I am just one of God's workers in His field and he makes the seeds grow in our hearts.  We can live our lives in ways that witness to others and we can preach the Gospel but we have to remember it is not about us, but about Him.  We are just His workers doing His work in His fields.

Obviously the metaphors here are strongly tied to gardening and easy to understand.  If you think about it, in life as Christians and as gardeners, it is a remarkable thing that you can plant a seed whether it be in the ground or in a person's heart.  To watch God grow that seed, whether from the ground into something useful, or in a person's heart into a life that is transformed by Christ is something magical and rewarding.

Watermelon Vines in Christ

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I harvested my first 12 lb. watermelon a few weeks ago. I checked the vine and I have a few more coming through right now. I doubt they will be as good as that first one, but hopefully they will get some more size to them.

This week in my men's Bible study we discussed John 15 : 4-8. Writing this blog post reminded me of what we discussed. Jesus used so many metaphors about gardening to explain the gospel in a simple and easy to understand manner. Since I have started gardening, I have really come to love these passages of scripture.

John 15 : 4-8 (New Living Translation)

4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.

5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. 7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! 8 When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.

This is my one watermelon vine, it covers an area 20 by 20 feet.

Baby melon about the size of a golf ball.

Next prospect, about the size of a soccer ball.

Another small one.