A little something for your ears

If you love the Bible and grew up loving rock music. This is pretty great!

A yummy blessing:

My momma moved here a little over a year ago, and the food y’all!! THE FOOD!!!

Leaping off of notes from my reading:

Sometimes we don’t notice what we need to, but those who love to learn know that there is a difference between smart and wisdom. Intelligence is gained through what we learn and also through information gathering, but wisdom is often gained in the downtime. In the in-betweens. This is why distraction can be so detrimental. We miss the application of the information. One of the greatest gifts of wisdom is discernment. It is the ability to know the difference between right and wrong, time well spent and totally wasted. The reason why it is so important to distinguish is that it is a matter of perspective.

Wisdom gives us the ability to see into the future, to see the consequences. We are not very wise if we just keep running headlong without thinking about what the consequences could be from the choices that we make. The finer details are missed, like the difference between good and best.

For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

1 Corinthians 13:12

This verse expresses how we try to see things through dark glass, but what we need is God’s perspective to see clearly.

One of the ways we see darkly is people. The Bible tells us to discern the fruit of a person. Sometimes, because we want to be known as a “Nice” person, we overlook what should not be overlooked.

You’ll recognize them by their fruit. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes or figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit; neither can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you’ll recognize them by their fruit.

Matthew 7:16–20

Notice that little word “them.” Who is that? Jesus defined them as false teachers. We have to be careful as to where we get our information. Jesus also applied this to general people. So, we can’t just say that we are only watching or discerning the people we learn from, but we are to apply it to all the people around us that we spend time with.

Here is the thing about trees: they have leaves and fruit! One of the ways that we can discern what kind of person we are dealing with, hanging out with, or getting into a relationship with, is by the leaves.

My husband worked in tree service for 22 years. Every time we are out and about, he is remarking about the trees, talking about the kind of wood, saying things like, “That tree has really hard and heavy wood.” Or “That tree has stringy wood, and it is terrible to burn.” So what kind of tree are you dealing with? Sometimes we look at behavior and words. But if you think about it. Behavior can be faked for a good long while, and the tone and type of words really only tell us the “personality” style of speech they have. So, we have to look at the tree and its leaves!

A good person produces good out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil person produces evil out of the evil stored up in his heart, for his mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.

Luke 6:43–45

The leaves will tell you what kind of tree “people” are around you. You just have to look and ask God to help you discern. So, what are we looking for?

• Hard tree – hard-hearted, stubborn, unwilling
• Soft tree – humble, flexible, willing
• Big tree – mature
• Small tree – immature
• Has leaves – productive in growth
• Has no leaves – unproductive in growth

These are great observations, but what kind of leaves? Some leaves indicate a fruit tree, some a standard tree, but others indicate a poisonous tree. You have to discern.

We also can see what season we are in. A flourishing season has lots of new growth, new branches, and buds. A winter season has dormancy, and all the leaves have dropped off.

A tree with little growth or dried up on one side could indicate no nutrients or a break or injury. Where does this tree get its nutrients? Where does this tree get help for growth or injury?

So when behavior that feels good or bad in the moment, or when a word or tone has been sweet or annoying to your ears. What is the overall sense? What do they “leave” you with? What have their actions, words, and character overall left? Was it confusion, was it heaviness, was it truth, was it food for thought, was it guilt, shame, or do you feel better for being with them when they are away?

A little pamper

My hubby and I did foot soaks. It was lovely.

Thanks for listening,

Starla