Farmer in the Dell

I am not really that familiar with farming. But growing up I wanted to be a frog farmer, so I think that qualifies me to write regarding farming from a point of some, if not unlimited, knowledge.

Being a Christian is a lot like being a farmer. I mean, look at the Bible. We all know the parable of the seed sower. Parables about mustard seeds. Not letting a seed of bitterness sprout up. Knowing a tree by its fruit. And the list could keep on going.
But the passage I want to focus on is in Galatians:
"Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life." Galatians 6:7-8
So as I read this the other night my thoughts went back to chapter five of Galatians where Paul writes about the desires of the flesh and the fruits of the Spirit. What I have come to realize is that I am the most foolish farmer that ever has lived. I hate being bitter. I hate being angry. I hate being jealous. And this list too goes on and on with all these desires of the flesh. I hate them. I want the fruits of the Spirit. But what I am finding is that all I do is plant seeds of destruction. I let these seeds of anger or bitterness or jealousy or lust fall. I see them hit the dirt and be firmly planted there. I do nothing. Then I go on watering them, nurturing them, watching them grow. All the while I stand as a spectator in my mind wondering why I would do this. And in the end I am surprised when what I get are rotten things. On the other side I also know the things I can do to be planting seeds of the Spirit. And I know how to feed these. The thing is that it is harder this way.
There is that old story about two wolves that fight within the soul of a man, one of good, the other of evil. The one that wins is the one that you feed. It is kind of like that, in that the seeds that grow are the ones I water. The ones that grow are the ones that are going to produce fruit. And the fruit I produce shows who I am. And so this is why I am trying to make a better conscious effort.
Farming was never my forte.

Eat, Drink, and Be Merry

I am going to die. Before that day comes I am going to do my best to live.
There is a time for everything under the sun. There are going to be seasons of joy and plenty, seasons of pain and loss and famine. There is a time to mourn, a time for silence, a time to speak, a time to move on. In all of these things God has placed opportunities for joy if we are seeking Him. There are always opportunities to love Jesus and bring Him glory. That is what matters. Life is so short, then we die. While we are alive we had best be living, not just existing. Eat, drink, be merry! Do not let your eating turn to gluttony. Do not let your drinking turn to drunkenness. Do not let your merriment turn to debauchery. Do not use your freedom to gratify the desires of the flesh. But in all things seek first the kingdom of God. Find joy in your days. A day like today where I could sit under a tree in the sun listening to music, even with all the crap going on around me, there is joy there. God is there through it all. He makes everything beautiful in its time. That is all that matters in life. God. He is it. Death will come, and when it does it will seem like it is there far too soon. Whenever my lot is up, I am okay with that, but from now til then I will live.