Well…That’s a Deep Subject

Wisdom. That’s the subject I’ve been looking at for the past 7-10 days. I have resumed reading aloud to Dean, J.I. Packer’s book, KNOWING GOD. I had checked the book out of our church library on a friend’s recommendation, and we have discovered that the book’s information is very detailed and extremely worthwhile. However, it is not an easy read as Mr. (probably Dr.) Packer is a Brit so his word flow is somewhat different than Nevadans J.  

We had just started reading the chapter on God’s Wisdom when my Quiet Time meditation just happened to be Psalm 111, the last verse reminding me that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Ergo, my "book report."

Packer begins his chapter on Wisdom saying it is “ the practical side of moral goodness…found fully, only, in God. Human wisdom can be frustrated by circumstances but God, Who knows all, plus being all powerful is totally worthy of our trust.

Packer discuss the OT characters, Abraham, Jacob, and Joseph and their various trials used by God to mold them into men he could use. Consequently, we shouldn’t be surprised at what we consider unpleasant, discouraging things which come our way. God can use these life events "to make something of us to which we have not yet attained." In American lingo that would read, “God is not finished with us yet.”

In our quest for wisdom Packer says we must 1) learn to reverence God, which includes embracing a humble, teachable spirit; 2) learn to receive God’s Word. Do we “soak” ourselves in Scripture? How many times have we read the Bible all the way through? Do we spend as much time reading the Bible as we do the newspaper (or watching TV or reading a novel)? Ouch—those are convicting questions!

Next Packer goes to the book of Ecclesiastes. The Preacher paints a pretty grim picture, but intersperses  it with hope and in chapter 12 gives an outline of gaining wisdom--“Fear God and keep His commandments.” The New Testament tells us the result of gaining wisdom is Christlikeness—peace, humility and love.

So the wisdom God gives to those who ask will be expressed “in a spirit of faith and a life of faithfulness.” Obviously, this is the quest of a lifetime but so worth the journey.

I have read that blog posts shouldn’t exceed 500 words, so I’m not quite there yet. I would love to dialog with any readers interested in this subject. Or better yet, check out Packer’s book. Just don’t plan to get through it in a hurry.

Children—Friends

The week following July 4^th we were able to enjoy the company of both of our adult sons. The original idea was to pick them up in Salt Lake City and drive to Thermopolis, Wyoming, the Hot Springs Capital of the World (or something like that) so Dean could sit and soak, the boys could swim and I could just hang out. There were some plans for a fishing trip too, but the vacation trip didn’t happen because Dean still hadn’t regained adequate stamina for the trek.

Like the good guys they are, Jeff and Brian rented a car in SLC and drove to Elko so they could spend time with us anyway. Jeff has experience as a landscaper so he worked on our yard. Brian did the mowing and trimming and various other tasks Dean mentioned.

Chef Jeff is pictured here putting together one of his delicious and unique meals for the family.

Brian kindly agreed to build a website for me so that I can easily direct people on how to find my blog, buy THE WOMEN WHO KNEW HIM or “friend” me on FaceBook. By the way that web address is:  diehl2360.wix.com/pat-diehl. (For some reason, the picture of him hard at work on my computer didn't make it into my camera???)

All of this narrative is just to state how great it is to have children who are now not only our beloved sons, but our prized friends. I can remember thinking as I looked at our little boys playing and wondering, “What they will be like when they grow up.” Time has now made the answer apparent and I am well pleased. They are men of kindness and integrity; I am grateful.

My Non-Garden

Last year I didn’t even pretend to have a garden. This year the intention was present but the carry-through has been lacking.

Three or four years ago Dean purchased a stock tank and filled it with dirt so that I could have a raised garden bed . Thus far I have raised some carrots, one extremely health green bean plant (it’s a mystery as to where the other seeds went) and a lovely tomato plant

The plants you see pictured here are the sole “fruit” of a package of spinach seeds sown at the beginning of June. 

There is a certain area of this “raised garden bed” that is akin to the Bermuda Triangle where the planes and ships mysteriously disappear. Both this year and two years ago, the seeds I planted just vanished. Perhaps I should check the bottom of the stock tank in case the seeds have migrated in that direction???

I was telling my brother about my tomato plant not yet planted as it seems to be doing perfectly well sitting on the kitchen counter. The first of June we were having freezing temperatures and the temperatures at the end of June soared into triple digits. He suggested that instead of calling it a patio tomato, I label it a counter tomato.  

I may yet plant it in one of these half barrels (more of Dean’s answer to my plea for a raised garden bed), but not in the one pictured as it contains the “bones” of a lovely rhubarb start that a friend gave me as well as a package of peas that I planted. Again—no sign of life. Seems to have caught the idea from the Bermuda Triangle stock tack.

ALL of my relatives, alive or dead, would be wondering where my gene pool went wrong. They were/are all decent, even world class gardeners  As for me, the green thumb stops here with a distinctly blackened hue.