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Ever since Advent started, seeds have been on my mind.
Having re-read Jesus’ words about the kingdom of God being like a seed, I decided to germinate a few indoor seeds of my own. Here are the seeds (one jar quick-growing, and one much slower) and various quotations about seeds:
'Dreams are the seeds of change. Nothing ever grows without a seed, and nothing ever changes without a dream.' Debby Boone
'A good question is never answered. It is not a bolt to be tightened into place but a seed to be planted and to bear more seed toward the hope of greening the landscape of idea.' John Ciardi
'Education is not the piling on of learning, information, data, facts, skills, or abilities - that's training or instruction - but is rather making visible what is hidden as a seed.' Thomas More
‘What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air perched in its branches’. Jesus, speaking in Luke chapter 13.
‘There are those who think that the kingdom of God should, like a powerful wind, blow all before it. Others think that the kingdom ought to shake the world to the core, like an earthquake. There are still others who see it as a sweeping, cleansing fire. Jesus’ description in today’s reading is of his kingdom being more like a quiet whisper, which shouldn’t surprise us. After all, God doesn’t change.’ David Robertson , referring to the words of Jesus above. 
'And so our mothers and grandmothers have, more often than not anonymously, handed on the creative spark, the seed of the flower they themselves never hoped to see - or like a sealed letter they could not plainly read.' Alice Walker
'Happiness held is the seed; Happiness shared is the flower.' John Harrigan
I'm meditation on what kinds of seeds I'm planting, and I wonder what you hope for in terms of planting and harvesting, yourselves...
11 comments:
Hello Floss,
That is a wonderful guide about seeds and growth. My father worked with plants and trees. He took the smallest of seeds and tended to each one with such love and patience. God had blessed with the gift to grow plants. My father is now in heaven but we have huge magestic trees around our property as a reminder of my father's life.
Happy Advent!
Yoli
http://apronsenorita.blogspot.com
Those are very interesting quotations - especially the one about education. Too often today in the UK education is merely training or instruction, rather than remembering the Latin root of the word educate means to lead forth. Education should be a process of self-discovery and a means to make sense of the world in which we find ourselves, not a tick-list of 'skills'. Thomas More is worth remembering!
Pomona x
What a great post to wake up to this morning, Floss. I am just off to direct the Annual Children's Nativity Play, and very conscious that we are planting seeds there with those young people. But as well as nurturing them, we ourselves have to model healthy spiritual growth. And I loved your perceptive first picture- some seeds grow quickly, others more slowly. You cannot tell by looking at them - we have to leave the results to God. Blessings xx
Isnt it great how you can plant an image or a thought in so many peoples mind and they mean so many different things.
So me at the moment the seeds would represent thoughts, it is all about deciding which ones to nurture, to give water, sunlight and love to. To allow to grow. It was a very dark Friday evening and night and I am not allowing those thoughts credence.
Thank you for making me think and for planting a good seed.
Lovely post Floss and well commented by Angela ... children are our seeds and they all develop at different rates .... a shame that the system in this country wants to lump them altogether and expects them to be the same. Some good food for thought today .... thank you.
Wonderful thoughts about seeds and advent. I can see the comparison between advent and a seed. It means a preparation for something new that is coming. Which means it is our responsibility to do the growing.
I have my third advent post up also at A Collection of Days
Such great metaphors of life, thank you!
I've just this minute been talking to a friend about the finding of joy regardless of circumstance. Les Fleurs du Mal stuff! I'm struck by your seeds now too!
Very thought provoking! Thank you for all the delightful quotes. I have a long-term seedy project going on (pun intended) and I shall have to remember these. :)
Great post!!I learn much more wonderful thought from you. Happy adovent!!
A wonderful thoughtful post Floss. I shall be getting my seeds sorted for next years planting soon. Suzie. xxx
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