FRIENDSHIP - with God, with each other, and with all creation

Gardening of Soil

Each child had a Tiny Greenhouse
to sprout some bean seeds

Well, it's happening! And it is so encouraging to see.

Tiny seeds, planted by tiny hands, are sprouting into more than just a tiny bit of hope.

Camden Sparkes helping children
plant their bean sprouts to grow their
bean teepee

It began last week in each child's Tiny Greenhouse. A bean seed, wrapped in a wet towel, sealed in a zip lock bag and taped to the sun-bathed gym window, produced the green miracle of life in barely a week. 

Carmen Green, Eden Kids Garden
Club co-director with two helpers,
David Yarbrough and Roger Hudson

This Tuesday the  children planted their sprouting beans around a wigwam trellis, dreaming of a food-producing, shelter-from-the-sun (a bean teepee) they'll be able to step inside. 


Our hope is that one day soon, in being able to enter their bean teepees, the children will feel themselves wrapped in the green love and care of the Creator. We'd love them to learn about God as the Creator who wants all children to have food and shelter, and who has made the earth to do exactly that - provide food and shelter for everyone. That is, if we learn to live as "FRIENDS - with God, with each other, and with all creation."*

Gardening of Soul - Acts of Compassion

Compassion. 

Once again, in engaging in an act of compassion as part of my witness to Jesus Christ, it was I who received. 

Joining Tom Latimer and Nancy
 Morlock at Shalom Ministries

Yes! In giving, I received.

Carla and I were invited by Ted and Diane Ketchum to join the Covenant Shalom Team this past Monday evening at Shalom Ministry located at New Community Church in downtown Spokane. Broken and scarred, poor and lonely, hungry in body and soul, they came. And in adding salad to their plates as almost everyone offered their "please" and "thank you" for those few hours, I was reminded in real time what it means to do as Jesus did - live compassionately towards all people, unconditionally, no strings attached.

Carla and I both left as better people, better Christians, having learned again how to live as FRIENDS (with God, with each other, and with all creation).
__________________________________________________________________________
* Consider taking Bible 101 as part of the Covenant Community Classroom course offerings. The course uses the book Manna and Mercy, "a 100-page hand-printed paraphrase of the bible, from Genesis to Revelation - a graphic novel of sorts, written with imagination, clarity, humor and cartoons. Built around the twin themes of food sharing and forgiveness, it helps us to look at scripture with new eyes and rediscover how it can become a means of life and grace rather than destruction and death."