A Net in Time

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Acts 4:13-22

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Okay, let’s talk abit.  I’ve come to realize in the past month or so that I’ve been rather angry with God over a few different things and so had walked away for a bit.  NOT GOOD on my part.  God can handle my anger.  He created me right?  So it’s not like he doesn’t know what he created when he made me.  BUT still not good on my part right?   That’s taken a bit of processing. And still will for a bit.  It’s okay.   NONE-THE-LESS, time for me to get past that and get on with remembering whose I am.   Going back into my study on Acts.   Today we’re covering

Acts 4:13-22

13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. 14 But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. 15 But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another, 16 saying, “What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.

 17 But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.” 18 So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” 21 And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened. 22 For the man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old.

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Acts 4:13-22

Acts 4:13-22

iAs you may recall, Peter and John were standing before the council.  Peter had just finished proclaiming who they were following.  Jesus Christ of Nazareth, raised from the dead, and by whom salvation can be found, in him and no other.

13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. 

The council was made up of educated men as we can see in verse 5-6.  “On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, 6 with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family.”  They saw and heard how clearly and boldly Peter spoke and were shocked. 

I can imagine them thinking “these are uneducated men who will stumble and fumble for words”.  But that is not the case.  Peter and John knew Christ and him crucified so could speak well on this subject.   Their knowledge of him was readily apparent eh?

Oh that I would be so bold eh?  I’m too often cowed.

14 But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. 15 But when they had commanded them to leave the council,

Who was this man healed, the one who led to this whole situation?  A lame man.  You’ll read about his story in Acts 3. Just a man, well known for his begging at the Beautiful Gate.  A man who no longer needed to beg for help. What else could the council do but to let them go?

After they let them go, a council meeting.

15 But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another, 16 saying, “What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.17 But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.” 

Imagine having something happen in your community that you don’t want talked about. Something that was fundamentally true… after all the lame man is there walking and talking.  How can you possibly deny that reality? 

Now let’s say you don’t really want the news spreading anymore than necessary.  What do you?   Tell the perpetrators to not talk about it! So that’s what they did.  One gag order coming up! 

18 So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 

I can’t really see that working you know? People are still going to talk, and if you know you are in the right, why would you?  Peter and John said exactly that: 

19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”

They weren’t going to shut up about what happened because they were more concerned about God’s reaction to them than what people’s reaction.  We so need to be more like this don’t we?  Speaking God’s truth, being more concerned about what God wants from us than to be concerned about the world’s reactions and thoughts. 

No Deniability

 21 And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened. 22 For the man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old.

I can sort of understand the council you know?  They don’t want news spreading about what they consider a false religion.  So they can say don’t talk about it, but how can you suppress the fact that a lame man is now walking around and that Jesus Christ is the reason for it?   Men following the Son of God, healing in his name, and the fellow is right there.  Living proof! People saw this 40 year man healed and were praising God for it.  You can’t really stop that you know? 

What’s stopping me from praising God for the wonders he does in my life?  Something to think about eh?  Do you find yourself not talking about the wonders of God?  Why?  Share with me, perhaps we can learn together eh? 

Perhaps I’ll get it done

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My hubby likes to give me a hard time (not in a bad way) about how Five Minute Friday in this household often becomes Five Minute Sunday.  🙂  I told him “Perhaps” I’ll get it done on Friday!   And well, funnily enough, here it is Five Minute Sunday again…. He laughed, I laughed, and you know, life is good.  

Perhaps I'll get it done

Perhaps I’ll Get It Done

Perhaps I’ll get it done
this Friday, or the next day
could it be Saturday, or
pretty sure Sunday comes.
Sunday being a
quiet day to rest and relax
and take in some poetry while
chatting with hubby, it’s the way
the week runs you know? 🙂

Mayhap, a word much like perhaps,
is one I often use. Taking it’s origins
from “may” (as in maybe) and
“hap” (as in to happen). It’s got an
old-time flair and oft appeals to me.

Perhaps I’ll get it done,
those chores that await,
the bathrooms, the kitchen floor,
and the dishes a daily thing,
go figure that people gotta eat!
Then the bunnies, and the cats,
and the garden can’t be beat!

Mayhap, just perhaps,
time will stop a moment or two
helping me to get through
my position away from home, and
my working it out at home. Making
moments between moments to get it
all done. It goes along well.

Though sometimes, all those,
perhaps I’ll get it done… ,
Moments wear on a body a bit
and something breaks, just a
spell, and time away is needful.
Then suddenly vacation plans, chatty hubby,
and bunny hugs make the world better again.

And just perhaps
spending some needful time
with the one who created me. 
The one who created all that is around me,
the one who reminds me that
rest is a needful thing as well. 🙂

God Speaks

Exodus 20:8-11

8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Matthew 11:28-30

 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

 

Three Faces

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Three Faces are the inspiration for this poem.  These are faces that I see everyday for good or ill.  They aren’t the only faces I see, but today, they gave room for thought.  And that’s not a bad thing.    This post is part of the weekly challenge put out by Miss Kate.

Three Faces

Three Faces

Staring in the window,
a face stares back.
A little face, with tufty ears,
waiting, patiently, the wind must stop!
Then one shadow can be with
his human again.
But until, the noise of the window,
keeps one very scaredy cat
confined within doors.

Looking down the stairs,
I hear the sound of a squeaky mouse,
so I know what face I will see.
A small, orange/brown tabby,
who thinks my hubby is just “ALL THAT”,
and tolerates me well enough because
I brought squeaky mouse into the house.
Her bright eyes and small slinky body
occasionally make me laugh.

A long-haired cat sits on a table
staring with a croaky Miaow.
Her face is not one to be messed with,
with calico coat shows her nature.
Figuring out what she wants suddenly
becomes vitally important.
Quick to take offense, but
equally quick to give way,
Fierceness gives way to fear
if push truly comes to shove.

Benji, Ivy, and Lizzy,
we’re apparently their slaves,
ones to do their bidding when,
fear of the world doesn’t
get in the way.

Sometimes, I think I’m a cat too.
Wanting God to be my slave, except
when I’m too concerned about other things.
Wanting God to meet all my needs (according
to his riches in glory), until I get
distracted by the things surrounding me.

I so need to be less cat like, and more
aware of the depth of his love for me, and
how I hurt his heart when I act too “Catty”.
He calls me to be more than that you know?
“Be holy as I am holy” he quietly says.
Not something you’d say to a cat eh? 🙂



A Kid’s Guide to Plants of the Great Lakes Region

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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product A Kid’s Guide to Plants of the Great Lakes Region through Harbour Publishing. Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so, and it is so much appreciated. 🙂

MAN…. Sometimes I wish I had a child to homeschool again.   If I did, when going through Canada, and particularly Ontario, A Kid’s Guide to Plants of the Great Lakes Region would be EVER so useful!  Loaded with activities, tons of easily accessible information, descriptive photos and so much more. You need to check out this delightful book that helps children and youth access the plants growing around them. 

kids guide to the plants of the great lakes region

The Basic Details for A Kid’s Guide to Plants of the Great Lakes Region

Title: A Kid’s Guide to Plants of the Great Lakes Region
Author: Philippa Joly, contributing author Danielle Gehl Hagel
Publisher: Harbour Publishing Co
Pages: 224
Intended Audience: grade 3-4, 6-12 years
Genre: plants, Great Lakes, kid’s guide, Nature guide, Botany, homeschool, kid’s activity book, 
Available formats: Kindle, Paperback, 
Received: Paperback
Reviewed for: Harbour Publishing

About the Book and Author

As a clinical and community herbalist, Philippa Joly has her hands in many pots.  She works with individual clients, leads workshops and classes for children and adults, draws nature based pictures, and writes books.  She uses her skills in a variety of ways just like all of us!  🙂   A fellow Canadian she spends her time out in British Columbia. 

A Kid’s Guide to Plants of the Great Lakes Region is a middle-school friendly introduction to the plants of the Great Lakes Region.  You’ll discover outdoor activities, games, activities and quizzes that make learning about nature fun.  Dig up some roots!  Make some jam! Create a salve to cure an itch.  Discover new berries to eat and to definitely NOT eat!   Foster a love of the outdoors, increase attention spans and physical well-being, learn about the plants the surround, and connect with nature.   Contributing author is Danielle Gehl Hagel.

Looking More Closely

So let’s take a closer look at the treasures you will find in this lovely guide.  Eight chapters as well as a chapter dedicated to parents and educators.   Learn about the original peoples of the area, the regions covered, and so much more.   You’ll see plant profiles (of some 50 plants), learn about some invasive plants and learn the do’s and don’t of wildcrafting.  This reminds me of a facebook group I’m part of where people talk about the mushrooms they are harvesting from the wild.  The encouragement is always to do no damage, but to harvest thoughtfully. 

As you continue to work your way through, you’ll discover some easy crafts to make and activities to do.  Have you ever thought of playing Burdock tag? Sounds like a sticky situation eh?  🙂 

Make Plantain Salve to ease the pain of insect bites. Dig into some wild leek pesto!  Find out how to measure a Bracken fern.  Dish up some juices, oils, lotions, and jams from plants you discover. 

Learn about all sorts of plants.  I have to admit that I knew most of these, but would middle-schoolers?  Probably not!  Descriptive text written for the target age range, with a sense of humour.  🙂 Be prepared to discover interesting little tidbits and to read responses from other middle-schoolers.  Learn some Latin.  Observe illustrations and photos.

The Parents and educators section is filled with tips for making the best use of nature study.  Not just tips for using this book in the best way, but more on how to introduce wildcrafting, and various skills.  Skills such as handling a knife for cutting samples or making wood carvings. 

My Over-all Thoughts

Should you add The Kid’s Guide to the Plants of the Great Lakes Region to your library?   Yes!   Find it, borrow it, give it a good read.  Be inspired and watch your children/students be amazed at everything around them!  

The plethora of illustrations, photos, and descriptive text make this an engaging tome. The engaging activities and crafts add a fantastic hands-on component that helps to hammer home what they are learning (and it’s fun!). 

I do wish the invasive plant section had been a bit larger.  But I can understand the brevity, the focus is on the plants of the Great Lakes Region, not on the invaders that don’t belong.  One does not wish to create a massive book that would then be unwieldy.   

This kid’s guide is just the right size to provide variety in activities and help provide assistance in learning regardless of where you are in the Great Lakes Region.  That is what makes this book so valuable.  It is a helpful resource whether you are living in city, town or country.

Honour-bound

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Miss Kate has chosen the word honour as the five minute Friday word of the week. Mind, she chose to use the American spelling of the word, but hey, I’m Canadian and just have to spell it correctly.  🙂  Yes, I can politely poke a little fun at our Southern neighbours eh?  It’s the Canadian way you know, and I am rather honour-bound to be the Canadian that I am.  🙂   

Honour-bound, text over image of a person swearing to tell the truth

Honour-bound

Honour-bound I am
to be the Canadian that I am.
Polite, quick to apologize,
stalwart in the defense of my land,
Watcher of hockey, and of
(not) the wearing of a toque.

I’m honour-bound to say it,
a gardener I am. Not the greatest,
but I like to puddle around and
I just love watching plants grow
and seeing flowers bloom unexpectedly.

And I have to admit, that a rabbit-raiser
am I! Fervent on the topic, my sister said
“You can always talk rabbits”, and
it created within a grin. The garden helps
to feed the rabbits! *successfully I might add!*

Honour-bound I have to say, that
I’m really not that important,
but I seem to be loved by others
who disagree with that assessment.

A hubster that seems to like
spending time with me.
A son who tolerates me well
and chats much with him mama.
And a God above who promises to
love me forever and always minds me well.

Bound with Honour I need say that
despite the slow pace of the organist
at my uncle’s funeral today, this favourite
song of his, was a boon to my spirit.
In Christ Alone.

It’s good to have reminders
of God’s goodness and how much
he has done for us, which gives
a reason to hold him close
you know what I mean?

Closing questions

What would truth have you telling me about you today?  If you were honour-bound to share part of your life with me, what would be a first thing to share?   A love of your job?  A favourite pet?  The best hobby ever?  What kind of thing would strike your fancy?

Prove It To Me

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A busy day for hubby and me.  Running errands this morning.  Hubby took me into his new job this morning as they sell grass seed there super cheap!  I got to see his desk and everything.  Rather a nice set up and it will be warm in the winter (no need for a space heater).   Anyways, it was a fun trip out.  Then an emergency phone call.  “MOM!  I need the car!  How can I get it???”   He drove the truck to us so he could run out with the car (much more fuel efficient).  All this meant hubby and I spent the rest of the day at home.  We got the pond looking in much better shape.  Team work makes the dream work eh?  🙂   Gave me time to ponder this weeks five minute Friday word.   I came up with Prove it to me. 

Image of blank labels. Text of Prove it to me

Prove it To Me

Prove it to Me, it’s my demand
So many opinions divide this land.

Is Carney good? Is Poilievre evil?
Is Trump demented or some kind of weevil?

It’s my fence or my camera don’t you see?
You don’t need any privacy!
Don’t mess with my stuff, it’s the land of the free!

You have a house? Great stuff!
Moving in, won’t move out less in handcuffs!

God’s not dead, no he’s alive,
God is dead, fake stories thrive!
How do we prove it, will faith survive?

Giving labels to people helps them get service.
But too many labels is bound to make some nervous.

To “Karen” or not, it’s a matter of perspective,
It’s so easy for people to laugh or get mad irrespective.

Labels, name-calling, partitioning off,
Prove it to me that it’s all necessary, lest I scoff!

Can’t people just be people no matter how small,
Can’t people be people with no need to bawl.
Sometimes it all just seems like too much gall.

But God

 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. 

Isaiah 55:8-9

 “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 

2 Chronicles 7:14

There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 3:28

What Might Is

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Hey there! Exciting news—it’s Five Minute Friday once again! Yes, I know I’m a bit late, but Saturday is certainly better than missing out entirely, right? 🙂 This week, Miss Kate has inspired us to write about the word “might.”   Let’s discover what might is today shall we?

It’s been a fulfilling week. I’ve planted seeds in the garden, carefully moved Rose of Sharon bushes to keep them safe from the cat, and prepared the outdoor cages for the guinea pigs. I’ve even witnessed new life emerging in the rabbitry, and I’m thrilled to see radishes sprouting through the soil! Life truly is marvelous when we take a moment to appreciate it. Don’t you agree?

what might is text over image of hurdler

What Might Is

Perhaps I will, perhaps I won’t; I might go through with it, or I could change my mind. The possibilities are endless regarding what might happen. Consider all the alternatives and realize that even all the “might-bes” you can think of may not occur, and something entirely different will. One never knows the outcomes of an event until it has concluded.

This week, I had a conversation where I asked, “Might I call you Vicky or do you prefer Victoria?”.  A polite asking of the parameters of a name given.  Ensuring no offense given if an error occurs.  

The government wields significant power, drawing strength from its size, authority, and determination. In many cases, this power is beneficial, but it can also stifle the little guy. While rules and regulations are essential, it’s concerning when the mindset becomes “I can do this if I want.” For example, enforcing speed limits and ensuring employee safety are positive roles for the government, protecting us all. However, using power to strip away someone’s livelihood in the name of political correctness is a troubling overreach that should be challenged.

Might is shown as the athlete sails over the hurdles, not just winning but astonishing the crowd with the effortless grace displayed. In old footage of “Big Red,” Secretariat, we witness a horse exuding pure strength and determination.  Might is confident strength! 

Seeing Christ’s Might

What might is seen as Jesus willingly died in our place.  A difficult decision that brought him to tears, a pleading with his father, and the humility in “thy will be done.”   The might seen in a man who doesn’t let pride rule the day.  The surrender by Christ to be more than a man, to be God’s son in obedience to death on a cross.  It’s a power we need to see clearly.