Taking Inventory of Life's Goals - Using Fall Harvest to Plan Ahead

by Barbara Latta

Taking inventory of life's goals - using fall harvest
to plan ahead.

Fall is a time of harvesting fruits and vegetables that were planted during the late summer months. Apple trees blush with red-ripened fruit and pansies bloom among pumpkins, cabbages, broccoli. Farmers are cutting hay and binding it into bales to support their animals in the winter season.

The produce filling barns and baskets is a result of planting seeds. Without seeds there would be no abundance and our fall and winter tables would suffer.

As the year comes to a close, we will soon begin holiday preparations and our minds turn to baking cookies, buying gifts and roasting turkey. With all these schedule fillers, our thoughts don’t think about spiritual matters the way we should.

But this is a good time to scrutinize life’s harvest for the past months. If the output is not what we want, the yield can change by starting now to plant new seeds.

Taking inventory can be done by answering these questions about the past year:

Did I reach the goals I made at the beginning of 2017? If not, it’s not too late to start the list over. Setting goals doesn’t have to be done at the start of the year. Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6 NKJV).

Do I like the attitudes I am harboring now? Inspect thoughts and find out where any bad seeds have been planted and root them out. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things (Philippians 4:8).

Introspection now can bloom with
ideas for next year.

Did I influence as many people as I wanted to this year for the kingdom of God? Then he said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send our laborers into His harvest” (Matthew 9:37-38).

I have to answer all three of these questions with no. I don’t have the harvest I want, but introspection now can bloom with new goals and dreams when I am ready to start a new list.

My harvest now can be fertile ground for next year’s planting if I rip out the bad seeds that have started to grow before they take root.

And above all, if goals have not been met and the fruit of attitudes is not what you want, don’t succumb to guilt. God doesn’t beat us up over failures. He just gives us a new day to start again. Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is your faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22-23).

How do you handle your harvest? Please share your thoughts and plant a seed in another person’s life with your ideas.

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Taking inventory of life's goals (click to tweet)

Using fall harvest to plan ahead for next year (click totweet)

Resting in the Middle of Chaos - Learning from the Cattle in the Field

by Barbara Latta

Cows know how to rest. Living in a rural area, I have plenty of opportunities to pass fields full of cattle. One thing I have noticed is that cows are either lying down chewing their cud or they are standing up with their noses in the grass grabbing more food with their teeth.

They are not distracted by passing cars or planes overhead. They don’t care if the wind blows or rain pours down upon their backs. They continue feeding on the nourishment of the land because feeding is the most important aspect of their lives. They rest in the middle of the chaos going on around them.

We can learn from the cattle in the field

We are bombarded night and day with negative information pouring down upon us like the rain that hits the back of the cattle in the fields. Distractions pass us on the highway of daily living and the winds of terror blow against our faith when fearful events occur.

How can we keep our thoughts from straying into the waves of doubt and negativity with so much evil around us?

Creation Declares The Glory of God

by Barbara Latta

In His hand is the life of every creature and the breath
of all mankind. Job 12:10

With so much bad news blaring from every device we have, it’s important to take a break from the stories of tragedies, catastrophes, violence and offense and focus on God. Despite what we hear and see in person or through media, God is the Lord and He is good.

You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You (Isaiah 26:3 NASB).

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. (Psalm 46:1-4).

O clap your hands, all peoples; shout to God with the voice of joy. For the Lord Most High is to be feared, a great King over all the earth (Psalm 47:1-2).

The lesser light to govern the night. Genesis 1:16b

Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious to me, for my soul takes refuge in You; and in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge until destruction passes by (Psalm 57:1).

My soul waits in silence for God only; from Him is my salvation He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken (Psalm 62:2).

God made the two great lights, the greater light to govern the day, and the lesser light to govern the night (Genesis 1:16).

In the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge
Psalm 57:1

And He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away (Revelation 21:4).

He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen (Revelation 22:20-21).

May your week be blessed and full of joy as you meditate on the power and majesty of God.

Feel free to share your thoughts.

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Creation declares the glory of God (click to tweet)

Does God Allow Tragedy?

By Barbara Latta

Last week’s murderous tirade is only the latest in the spree of tragedies occurring in our

Does God allow tragedy?

country. News anchors and politicians are quick to speculate on the cause of people going on tangents to kill and maim.

The question of “Why?” can be answered simply. Evil.

The person in Las Vegas was consumed with evil no matter what the label. Some say he was psychotic which was passed down to him through his father’s genes. That’s a way to try to excuse his behavior.

Multiple times over the past years, we have faced tragedy at the hands of those who have chosen to kill.

Any many people ask the question, “Why does God allow tragedy if He is so good?”

Can Time Be Redeemed?

by Barbara Latta

Time is a commodity we aren’t aware of as seconds tick by while we go about our business

Redeeming the time because the days
are evil.

every day. As each one slips past, the hands on the clock have moved through a day we will never re-live.

Time can’t be placed in a piggy bank and saved like money. Hours can’t be earned like our salary. Minutes are not retrievable like lost coins. Time passes and disappears. Is it possible to redeem time?

During my last flight experience, I waded through security, lugged bags up escalators, waited in the terminal through flight delays and listened to the non-stop chatter of the canned announcements telling me not to accept bags from anyone else. When I plopped down in my assigned seat, I was ready to sit on the flight and relax with my good Christian book while my selfishness was hoping no one would bother me.