A Few Mustard Seeds

What began as a few comments in a Bible study has now turned into a project. We were studying Luke 17 and verse six entered our study. The verse starts, “‘If you have faith as small as a mustard seed...“ We began to talk about mustard seeds.

These seeds are small (Mt 17:20), but from them a tree grows which is large enough for birds to roost. (Mt 13:31-2). We wondered, “how small are these seeds?” A few of us who are gardeners then asked, “Will these seeds grow here?” None of us had ever tried to grow mustard before. We had never seen a mustard seed. And we just wondered.

So, I looked it up (step one of my project). There are several types of mustard seed. White Mustard (Sinapis alba) and mild white mustard (Sinapis hirta) grow around the Mediterranean Sea, oriental mustard (Brassica juncea) originally comes from the foothills of the mountains in India, and black mustard (Brassica nigra) which can grow up to eight feet tall. Several references told me the plant mentioned in the Bible is black mustard.

I dug deeper and found that black mustard seeds can be grown in North Carolina. Several nursery sites said these annuals do quite well in our climate. So I ordered a packet (step two of my project).

The seeds came last week. Indeed the seeds are small. One thousand seeds have been packed into a small plastic bag measuring one inch by one inch, with room to spare. There were no instructions with the packet, just the seeds, so I don’t know when to plant them. I will look that up (step four of the project).

But first I will distribute some seeds (step three of my project). A thousand is too many for me to plant, and it was the men’s Bible study which originally brought me to this project. I am giving several men packets as New Year's gifts. If we all plant them, I have faith someone in our group will succeed in growing them.

Black mustard is from the same genus of plants as cabbage, so they are planted in early Spring, about three weeks before frost. The Brassica juncea is also used in our area to produce mustard greens, so they can also be planted in the fall. For our usage of the plant we will let it go to seed, because it is the seed stalk which gives height and produces the seeds we desire.

It is said that black mustard seeds produce other seeds abundantly. They are used as the base for spicy mustard on our table. One recipe says to 1) grind the mustard seed; 2) add cold water and let stand for 10 minutes; 3) add vinegar (could be pickle juice) to seal in the flavor which starts as a reaction with cold water; 4) complete the mixture with a little salt, turmeric, paprika and garlic powder. Let the mustard sit in a refrigerator for at least a day to remove bitterness. The resulting condiment will keep forever.

I will sow my seeds indoors in mid-March (unless someone tells me differently, and I have enough seeds I can attempt to plant them several ways). I will move them outside once they are high enough, hardening them first, then planting them in my garden. I will plant them in faith they will produce.

I will also plant my seeds to teach me about faith in this new year. The year starts small, but within seven days it will turn into a week, and it will last for three hundred sixty five days (or 52 weeks). There are many things I hope to do in this new year. I will start several projects in faith this week, during the first few days of 2017, and pray they will be successful. I pray this year will produce abundantly for you (the reader) also.

Christmas Sunday School

For many years I have served as a Minister of Education at churches in Wyoming, Kansas and North Carolina. As a Minister of Education I developed educational programs for all age levels from Preschool to Adults. I found and trained workers to staff these programs.

As a retired minister, I continue in my life’s work, but at a slower pace. One area where I continue to serve is in the Preschool. During my time of service I encouraged everyone to volunteer with Preschoolers once per month during the time of the worship service (we called this “extended session.”) As an example (because I must do as I said) I serve in the Kindergarten class (our Minister of Children finagled a way to get me to serve twice a month), and develop my lesson plans where the curriculum is weak.

I have observed across the years that faith development in children is not automatic and a guide is required both at home and in church to to help children find the right path. I have shared in previous posts how I developed and carried out a lesson plan for the Christmas season each year with my family and in church. During the two weeks of teaching this month I drew upon my plan for Sunday’s lessons.

Last week’s lesson for children, and the journal in the devotional Advent Journeys, was about how the Angel Gabriel met Zechariah at the Altar of Incense in the Temple. My activity as I taught children was to have them lay down on a large sheet of paper with a crayon in each hand in order to draw angel wings snow-angel style. After the wings were drawn my helpers and I made an outline around the child’s body and let them color in the picture. As they colored, we taught the lesson.

This week’s lesson for children and the journal in the devotional Advent Journeys is about Joseph and Mary as they travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem and give birth to a Child. The birth of Jesus is the reason for the Christmas season, so it is with great joy that I look forward to teaching the children in our church tomorrow.

As I thought about what to do (more than just crayons and paper), I decided to give them something that hopefully will last a lifetime: a nativity scene.

In our family we proudly display a nativity scene made of clay by my daughters and myself many years ago. Although rough and misshapen, the set contains many memories, and is hand made. The scene brings back memories of the class, my daughters' childhoods, Christmases of the past and the Christmas message. It is a keepsake which is the springboard to stories and sharing as people visit our home (and as I write this blog).

I decided to give the Kindergarten children in my class a gift. I bought air-dry clay and took it to breakfast this morning, where I practiced (and got it right the first time!) One pinch of clay rolled between my fingers to make the head. Three pinches of clay shaped like a bell to make the body. A coffee stirrer (I will use toothpicks in class) for the arms, and another pinch made the body and head for the baby. I cut small mangers out of pressed wood (looks like hay), and will put it in a box for a stable.

Advent Journeys

I hope you have enjoyed our new book Advent Journeys.  When I first worte the book, I started with an idea.  I wondered what it was like for Joseph and Mary to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem.  The road (as you know if you read the book) was well traveled, and with a lot of history.  I tried to relay some of the stories as Mary and Joseph journeyed toward Bethlehem.  I also included in the book some foods they might have eaten and details of some of the more rugged portions of the route.

After writing about Mary and Joseph, I wondered about the journey of the Magi.  I learned a lot of stories from ancient history (including how the ancient Magi learned to adjust the calendar so they would know which month was spring.  I also learned the seven notes of the musical scale are patterned off the seven days of the week.  When the Magi visited their capital and also King Herod, I found out the gossip about their queen and the court of Israel.

As I turned my thoughts to the Shepherds, I realized they only traveled from their fields to Bethlehem.  Rather than a travel diary, I decided to look into what the Shepherds did to fill their time.  I learned about how sheep were cared for and sold.  The Shepherds became real people.

As I added the diary of Zechariah, I studied the daily tasks of the Priests (which is NOT like our worship services today!) and also the layout of the Temple.  I had some fun reading the Jewish Mishnah and hearing senile old men trying to remember what the Temple was like when they served as young men.  Did you discover the secret of the wood shed?

During the final week of the month … the fifth week of Advent (there actually is no fifth week, but we there ought to be one) I take a look ahead to the New Year.  I do this through the second trip of Joseph and Mary with Jesus as they leave Bethlehem and travel to Egypt, and then back to Nazareth.  Through the Journals of the final week of Advent I wanted to help people focus on the future.  For after Christmas we have a new year beginning.  (After Jesus was born he had a life ahead of him … and the life of Jesus was planned).  I have always benefitted personally by taking the week between Christmas and New Years to look ahead.

I included a sixth chapter of the book, Chanukah.  This was to be read during the week of Chanukah.  Because Chanukah (on the 25th of the Jewish month of Kislev) occurs according to the lunar calendar, the corresponding date on our calendar changes every year.  I will put up a calendar for 2016 on the website some time in January.

Did you enjoy the book?  If you did, would you do me a favor and recommend the book on Amazon.com.  To do this, scroll down to the bottom of the page, and click the “write a customer review” button.  It only takes a sentence or two to let people know you enjoyed the book.  Tell them something you enjoyed or learned.  Also raecommend they purchase a copy!  And I would appreciate five stars.

Your review will help others decide to purchas a book next year.  And, it’s not too early … Who would benefit from receiving a book for Christmas (or even better, Thanksgiving) next year??

Christmas on a Child’s Level

Christmas is a wonderful time of year.  We talk about Hope, Peace, Joy and Love.  We light candles, and in church we enjoy wonderful worship services.  Life is busy during December with events and parties and various celebrations.  We spend time in stores shopping for those we love, and for those we are obligated to buy for.  And we come home exhausted because of all our activities.

But have you ever looked at the Advent season through the eyes of your child?  Hope and Peace are concepts which are  often too difficult for young children to grasp.  (Joy and Love can also be difficult depending on how they are presented.)  The more we are gone for events, the less time we spend with our children.  And we drag our children on shopping trips only the hear them whine because they want us to go to the toy department rather than understanding we must select just the right gifts for family members, friends, co-workers and others.

The result of all this can be boredom, fatigue and hearing our children whine.

Christmas must be better.  The season can be a foundation of learning and joy if we manage our time well.  But during December, that means we must plan our time ahead so it does not get ahead of us.  On my regular website called KosherCopy I have included free resources under the Advent 2015 tab to help parents plan.  I have developed and shared this plan for thirty years.  The plan has been used in my family with my children with great success.  If you will work with the plan and use it, it can change your family’s Christmas.

I often tell parents the greatest gift you can give your children at Christmas, the gift of Love is spelled TIME.  Your children want undivided time with you more than anything else.  And in a season where time is limited, you must plan ahead in order to share this commodity in love.  Which is why I have put free resources for planning on my website.

Development of an Advent plan for children begins with your personal calendar and the free resources  on my website.  Your calendar will show what obligations you have which can not be moved.  Under the headings:

ADVENT WEEK ONE - ZECHARIAH THE PRIEST

ADVENT WEEK TWO - JOSEPH AND MARY

ADVENT WEEK THREE - THE SHEPHERDS

ADVENT WEEK FOUR - THE MAGI -  select an activity to place on your calendar to do as a gift for your children each day of December.  Each day - no exceptions.  You will notice that some activities require undivided time and attention to your children.  These are to be placed on days which are most open on your calendar … and reserved so nothing else can crowd in.  Other activities require only a few resources (which you must make available), and almost no time.  These are to be placed on busy days.  You will find that planning ahead for December, placing ideas on your calendar and having the resources available before Thanksgiving will buy you time and great Peace in December. (Yes, your children are quiet and better behaved when you keep them busy).

The activities from the calendar should be developed according to your child’s age and interests.  Include activities and events in your community (concerts, readings for children at the library, etc….) in your community as part of the plan and your giving of time.  Then take and place these on a calendar for your children.  (I made paper chains: one link for each day with two scriptures and one promised activity.  We took the link off at breakfast each morning so my children could hold me to the promise.)  Day after day you will notice your children becoming more involved in the message (not the mess) of Christmas … learning the true meaning Christ wants us to learn in this, His season, which will bring great Hope to your children.  

Hope, Peace, Joy and Love can be part of your Advent Journey with the investment of planning ahead and reserving a little time.  (the plan links to our book , Advent Journeys which can be read to children grade 3 and above)