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Vanity Fair in Pilgrim's Progress, by Bunyan,
who was greatly influence by Luther's Galatians Commentary. |
Yesterday morning, we were wondering if the storm would really arrive. The sky suddenly turned black and the outdoor lights went on. The roses were in full bloom and glowed in the low light, as they do when the sun is setting. The rain came down gently and cold weather returned.
I let Sassy decide whether she wants to walk or not. Sometimes I open the door and she quickly turns around after seeing a heavy rain. I was working on the computer, thinking it was still raining when I heard a high-pitched "Eeeh" from Sassy.
Mrs. I said, "She wants her morning walk." I took Sassy to the door, thinking it was still raining steadily - not her kind of weather. She knew the rain had stopped, so we went off for the walk. I was thinking about her maturity - no longer chasing cats - when I found her under a tree with the neighbor's cat mewing and looking down from a branch. "Leave kitty alone, Sassy."
Sassy supervises all our projects. When it is hot and sunny, she sits in the shade and watches. We had to dig 10 holes for the fall bulbs, so Sassy inspected each one. She wanted to guard them too. Now the rain has settled the soil and given the bulbs a start for spring. They will do quite a bit of growing underground and finish in the spring.
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| Daffodil bulbs are packed with energy for growth. |
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| The catalogs sell the flower, not the ugly bulb. |
All true bulbs are a combination of a flower with a food supply. That allows the flower to emerge finished without enjoying the energy of the sun. The plant has already done that in creating the bulb and renews the energy after the bloom cycle is done in the spring.
The best bulbs are large, because of the food supply, or even double and triple with daffodils. Bargain bulbs are small and mixed - the leftovers. I would rather grow a few of the same color.
In the back yard the spinach seeds have germinated. They will grow until the first light frost and then be covered.
My pet pumpkin in the compost is climbing out of the chicken-wire. When the frost stops its growth, the plant start decomposing over the winter. Two finished gourds will add to the compost surprises in the spring. They have formed their seeds. Some may sprout of the compost. Others may sprout where the compost is spread - in the corn patch.
Large Numbers
A lot of sales are based on large numbers. A mailing will interest 1 - 2% of the recipients. The same is true of cold calling. Gardening has much better results.
If someone tries a lot of plants and seed, the results will be pleasing, given a little care. Seed needs plenty of water after planting. I learned that long ago. When I plant something potted, like butterfly bush or roses, I water daily for a time and add Epsom Salt.
People think, "They have to form roots," which is largely true. More importantly, they need those delicate root hairs, where all the action takes place in growing the plant. The root hairs need to multiply undisturbed by human tramping around.
The root hairs establish a zone of soil commerce. A very thin layer of water covers each soil particle. That clings to the soil so tightly that it requires heating to get rid of it. In that zone around the roots, billions of creatures set up their Vanity Fair.
Therefore at this fair are all such merchandise sold: as houses, lands, trades, places, honours, preferments, titles, countries, kingdoms; lusts, pleasures, and delights of all sorts – as bawds, wives, husbands, children, masters, servants, lives, blood, bodies, souls, silver, gold, pearls, precious stones, and what not. (Vanity Fair, described by by Bunyan in Pilgrim's Progress.)
We think, "Rain water brings moisture and usable nitrogen to the roots," but in truth that happens at the microscopic Vanity Fair. Roots shed cells and give up carbon to attract the merchants, each with something to give in exchange for what they want - bacteria, fungi, protozoa, springtails, sowbugs, nematodes, pillbugs, ants, and earthworms - to name a few. This group, numbering in the billions, does not come for the roots alone, but for the chance to barter, buy, and devour. Each creature is food for another, so the root zone is a suburban mall for soil commerce.
We plant all seeds, bulbs, trees, and bushes in the soil - but what do people know about the soil they use and abuse?
Likewise, many talk about the Word without knowing anything about it.
In 2009, we approached the Circuit Pastor and Patterson about the way the then pastor at Christ the Rock (where Ski is now) was interpreting scripture and his emphasis on the emergent church model instead of the Holy Ghost for 'success' of the church. That pastor remained and recently got a call to the WELS Asian Seminary as a professor. Heaven help them!
We left CTR and joined Holy Word where Patterson was since he assured us that the situation was being taken care of. (We weren't the only ones who left. Many of the core members of the mission also left.) Long story short, it wasn't long before we realized who the problem really was. Patterson. Worship and practice at Holy Word were becoming less and less Lutheran and more and more like American Evangelicalism. Even his teaching of Justification was off. And this is where a lot of these guys go off the tracks. They take the extreme view in regard to forgiveness that it skews into some kind of Antinomianism. (The Ski issue is a perfect example) We took issue with this and found ourselves kicked out. I admit that the stand I took made me sound like a synergistic freak a couple of french fries short of a happy meal, but that was the extreme I needed to try and counter the error. But the real travesty was the lying and smoke and mirrors presented to the congregation to discredit us. When we attended the voters meeting concerning the disposition of our membership, I wasn't allowed to speak; it wasn't the time for a theological discussion since they had offered it to me previously and I refused. (which I did) The fact was they offered a discussion concerning fellowship previously. But that wasn't the issue. What they refused previously was a discussion of Justification. So they lied to the congregation about us.
I would encourage you to stay the course (with the help of others) to either force a change of heart in these individuals or get their calls terminated. Rest assured, they aren't all bad as you have discovered. There are solid ecclesiastical supervisors in the WELS as I know this from a recent experience. These fellas need to step up and rebuke their brothers.