“I am a child of God. I know it. I live it. I love it.” Meme

What kind of relationship do I have with God? Do I feel close to Him, or is He like a distant relative or just a stranger? I have always been impressed that of all the terms that Jesus used when He spoke to God, Father was His favorite. Do I feel comfortable enough to call Him Dad? I pray that the Spirit of Jesus affirms in our soul that we are in fact His children, and that realizing it, that we live like sons and daughters of our loving Father.  

“For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.” Rom.8.16 Conversations Within” ts 8/4/2020

“Gardens are a form of autobiography.” Sydney Eddison

“But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience...” 1Co.5

All of life is surely like a garden. And, every gardener knows it is prudent to tend your garden every day. How is the garden of our relationships? Are there weeds of neglect growing that need our attention. Do we regularly water the garden of our family and friends with our prayers. Do we give thanks for the fruit we enjoy from those we love and who love us. Is my garden well kept, cultivated and flourishing or am I just too busy attending to lesser stuff that I have let my relationships suffer? There is no better testimony of the kind of life we are living than the condition of the garden of our relationships. 5/27/2011 Conversations Within ts (Gunterhill, AL)

“Gardens are a form of autobiography.” Sydney Eddison

“But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience...” 1Co.5

All of life is surely like a garden. And, every gardener knows it is prudent to tend your garden every day. How is the garden of our relationships? Are there weeds of neglect growing that need our attention. Do we regularly water the garden of our family and friends with our prayers. Do we give thanks for the fruit we enjoy from those we love and who love us. Is my garden well kept, cultivated and flourishing or am I just too busy attending to lesser stuff that I have let my relationships suffer? There is no better testimony of the kind of life we are living than the condition of the garden of our relationships. 5/27/2011 Conversations Within ts (Gunterhill, AL)

“We come from the earth, we return to the earth, and in between we garden." Author Unknown.

“The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.” Gen.2 ESV

I think one silly view of Heaven is that we will sit around on clouds, drinking mint juleps and doing nothing. Perhaps some people feel this way because they do not enjoy working. It should not surprise us that God not only wants us to work but to enjoy it, express creativity and find lasting fulfillment in it. The simple truth is that man was created to live a productive and fruitful life, one detail of which was to work in a garden. It is interesting that the Good Book compares all of life to a garden. And, as everybody knows, gardens needs tending; the garden of our relationships, our resources, and certainly the garden of our inner life no less. It would seem that if there is one skill we need in life, we need to learn how to garden. “I cultivate my garden, and my garden cultivates me.” Robert Brault. 5/23/2011 Conversations Within ts (Oak Mountain, AL)

“We come from the earth, we return to the earth, and in between we garden." Author Unknown.

“The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.” Gen.2 ESV

I think one silly view of Heaven is that we will sit around on clouds, drinking mint juleps and doing nothing. Perhaps some people feel this way because they do not enjoy working. It should not surprise us that God not only wants us to work but to enjoy it, express creativity and find lasting fulfillment in it. The simple truth is that man was created to live a productive and fruitful life, one detail of which was to work in a garden. It is interesting that the Good Book compares all of life to a garden. And, as everybody knows, gardens needs tending; the garden of our relationships, our resources, and certainly the garden of our inner life no less. It would seem that if there is one skill we need in life, we need to learn how to garden. “I cultivate my garden, and my garden cultivates me.” Robert Brault. 5/23/2011 Conversations Within ts (Oak Mountain, AL)

“Assumptions are the termites of relationships.” Henry Winkler

“A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.” Prov.18 ESV

Instead of jumping to conclusions we might try practicing an unassuming grace. I suppose that every conversation should exercise this kindness, unless of course we are willing to risk disappointment and choose to always assume the best. Sadly most assumptions do not give the benefit of the doubt. Instead of reading between the lines perhaps it would be expedient after someone has finished speaking, to repeat what we heard them say and ask if we heard them right or ask them what they are heard us say after we have expressed our opinion. Someone has said that we should “seek first to understand, then to be understood.” In either case, we should strive to clarify matters with an unassuming grace not complicate them with a false assumption. 4/7/2011 Conversations Within ts (Oak Mountain, AL)

“Assumptions are the termites of relationships.” Henry Winkler

“A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.” Prov.18 ESV

Instead of jumping to conclusions we might try practicing an unassuming grace. I suppose that every conversation should exercise this kindness, unless of course we are willing to risk disappointment and choose to always assume the best. Sadly most assumptions do not give the benefit of the doubt. Instead of reading between the lines perhaps it would be expedient after someone has finished speaking, to repeat what we heard them say and ask if we heard them right or ask them what they are heard us say after we have expressed our opinion. Someone has said that we should “seek first to understand, then to be understood.” In either case, we should strive to clarify matters with an unassuming grace not complicate them with a false assumption. 4/7/2011 Conversations Within ts (Oak Mountain, AL)