Page 2 - October2019NewsletterOnline

Pastor Marc Brown

From My window

I am getting smarter, but I am still not where I want to be fully. Every
year I continue to plant a garden because there is nothing like fresh
produce. I don’t plant much – tomatoes, peppers, some kind of vine
and popcorn. I don’t spend as much time as I think I should tending

these crops and yet somehow God continues to bless my feeble efforts.
I have learned over the years that I don’t need to plant much and often
much of the produce goes to waste and unused.

This year once my garden spot got worked, I planted three tomatoes
and three peppers. I planted three types of tomatoes – large, medium
and small. I thought this diversity of plants would allow me to utilize
the fruit for different purposes – slices for a sandwich, garnishes for a

salad, and ones to make salsa. That was my plan anyway. What I have
learned is God ways are not mine. My plants have survived the crazy
weather and in spite of my great gardening skills it is harvest time.

Yes, this is two tomato plants! Yes, I need to put more space between them next year. If you look closely, you can
tell that I have some well fed tomato worms. And yes, I need to harvest. I have seen the tomatoes for the last
couple of weeks, but my schedule has me too busy. There are church activities. There are family activities. There
are issues with the weather. I know there are going to be “bad” ones and I don’t know what I am going to do with

them. They are going to be messy. And the list of excuses for not harvesting the fruit that is ripe and good goes on
and on.

Funny how in the midst of the garden, I can hear God’s voice whispering – “Marc, are you ready for the harvest?
There are people all around you ready to meet me and have their lives transformed by me. Yet they are waiting for
you to introduce us. Are you really for me and my Kingdom or are you only about you?”

Jesus saw you and I when we were needing him and sent people into our lives to be his ambassador to bring us into
his presence. As a little exercise, take a moment and remember how you came to know Jesus Christ. Take a
moment to praise God for the people, places, and things he used to bring you to him. Ask yourself, “Where would

you be if you did not have Jesus?” and then praise him because this is not the case.
Do you need some tomatoes? Come to the parsonage and pick some. The next time you go out, say a prayer and

ask God to use you for the harvest for his Kingdom. Put on the gifts of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and watch God
work through you this harvest season.