When I was a boy growing up we had several gardens around our old house. The largest one of all was used just for growing potatoes. I can still remember those potato planting days. The whole family helped. After my Dad had tilled the soil, my Mom, brothers, and I went to work. It was my job to drop the l…
When I was a boy growing up we had several gardens around our old house. The largest one of all was used just for growing potatoes. I can still remember those potato planting days. The whole family helped. After my Dad had tilled the soil, my Mom, brothers, and I went to work. It was my job to drop the little seed potatoes in the rows while my Mom dropped handfuls of fertilizer beside them. My brothers then covered them all with the freshly turned earth.
For months afterward I would glance over at the garden while I played outside and wonder what was going on underneath the ground. When the harvest time came I was amazed at the huge size of the potatoes my Dad pulled out of the soil. Those little seedlings had grown into bushels and bushels of sweet sustenance. They would be turned into meal after meal of baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, fried potatoes, and my personal favorite: potatoes slowed cooked in spaghetti sauce. They would keep the entire family well fed throughout the whole year. It truly was a miracle to behold.
Thinking back on those special times makes me wonder how many other seeds I have planted in this life that have grown unseen in the hearts and minds of others. How many times has God used some little thing that I said or did to grow something beautiful? How many times has Heaven used these little seedlings to provide another’s soul with sweet sustenance?
Every single day of our lives we step out into the garden of this world. Every single day we plant seeds that can grow into something wonderful. We may never see the growth that comes from the kind words or loving acts we share but God does. I hope then that you always tend the garden around you with care. I hope that you plant only goodness, peace, and compassion in the lives of everyone you meet. I hope that everyday you help miracles to grow.had several gardens around our old house.
I had been praying, asking the Father what difference I, a 72 year-old woman, could make. Then I read about what happened in Louisiana.
And I can’t remember if it was Jeff Childers or another who linked that to the coach who prayed in, of all places, the state of Washington…..prayed when he was told NOT to pray…..he simply…..prayed. And when he got fired and went before the Supreme Court, the wording of the decision gave an opening. And the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob invited the Louisiana Legislators to move and they did.
I love this message of encouragement! I visited with my daughter last evening. They live in Dallas but had just gotten back from a visit to DC where their church choir were guests at The National Cathedral for an Evensong Service. And I’m proud to say my granddaughter had a nice solo part in that. However, it was a moving experience for my daughter and she related to me how she spent that hour in the Cathedral praying for our nation, for a revival of faith and our people turning back to God.
That is the only hope I have for my country -that the Lord has mercy and touches ppl’s hearts. Revival, repentance, stirring up a hunger for righteousness and truth.
For those of you who are Catholic you may be familiar with the apparitions of Our Blessed Mother over the many years in different locations (Fatima, Medjugore, Kibeho, Akita, etc) and her prophecies. In this video, Fr. Chad Ripperger, an exorcist, talks about many of the prophecies. We need to pray, repent and turn to God to minimize the chastisement that is coming.
IF Catholics truly knew Jesus Christ and His Gospel, they would have NEVER EVER accepted anyone saying the saw an "apparition" of Mary, and much less of her asking anyone to build her a church or pay her any homage... Satan, the angel of light has dupped so many into believing his lies! The apparitions of Mary, by any other name, in any other location whether Fatima, Mexico, Lourdes, etc. is demonic activity... "I AM the Lord! That is my name, and my glory I WILL NOT give to another, nor My praise to graven images" Isa 42:8
..."They shall be greatly ashamed who trust in graven images...." Isa 42:17
You indeed need to REPENT and pray to Him who alone delivers, forsake all other idolatry and give Glory to God alone or suffer the chastisement
Concerned Mom, Mary as the mother of Jesus, appears to his faithful as an emissary for her son, not as a substitute to be worshipped. She advocates only for the worship of Jesus Christ and gives guidance and hope to his followers, especially in times of great need. The miracles serve as proof to us who need to get back on the right path. What a beautiful thing that is! So many non-Catholics have misunderstood that Mary and all of the saints are amazing inspirations that only hope to help us in building our relationship with God.
Amy, I'm speaking as a former Catholic... I know the religion, I've lived it and been abused by it. She is not an emissary for her son, she asks for churches to be built for her name... The CC is corrupt. Mary, the real person, would have NEVER participated in what the CC is doing in "her name". The CC has elevated Mary as the "empress of the Americas" basically queen of heaven... this is man's doing, not biblical, nor scriptural. I'm thankful Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior called me out of that place and has placed me in His light.
How sad that you felt the need to destroy a beautiful thread of spiritual support for our country. Frankly, I have to assume that you are in fact - The Devil
Jacquelyn dear, first of all I was the first to reply to Karmy's post, therefore no "thread of spiritual support" since she clearly deviated from the original post. I tend not to mince words, so when I reply I'm direct and use scriptural support (not MY words, but GOD'S). Lastly, Jesus was also accused of being Beelzebub The devil, so I guess I'm in good company (Jesus' company)
I do pray to Jesus, I trust in Him. I don’t presume to know God’s mind but he did choose Mary as the mother of His Son, Jesus, the man-God and made her an immaculate vessel to bring Jesus to the world. Have you not considered why God, who is the Supreme Being and creates at Will, chose to use Mary for this task and not consider her a special being as the intermediary between Jesus and the world? He could have just had Jesus appear one day. Do you not realize that Jesus and Mary are the redemptive Adam and Eve? They both, through God’s Will, have redeemed us from the original Sin committed by Adam and Eve. Oh ye of little faith.
Well, the idea of Mary being "intermediary between Jesus and the world" sounds to protestants too much like usurping the role of Christ himself - because Jesus, being both God and Man, is the true intermediary between Man and God. Not to mention, Our Lord is omniscient and omnipotent, and perfectly capable of ministering to all believers at once through His spirit -- whereas Mary, no matter how upright and holy a woman, is neither of those things.
Hopefully you can understand why those who don't hold with Rome have an objection to some of these ideas - and I hope I also demonstrated that it doesn't need to be phrased in aggressive terms, especially when dealing with people who come across as sincere and genuine in following the Lord.
I do not believe my response was “phrased in aggressive terms”. I think the woman I responded to was “aggressive”. However, if I offended you with my beliefs I apologize. My goal was to evangelize as Jesus exhorts us to do.
Apologies, I didn't mean you were aggressive, I meant the person you were replying to (who seems to agree with me but wasn't very nice about how they said it).
Karmy, thank you for the reply. I do agree that Mary was a very special and chosen vessel, but nothing more. By saying that Jesus and Mary are the redemptive Adam and Eve, you are in essence elevating Mary to the same status as Jesus! I find this as sacrilegious... 1 Tim 2:5 clearly states "Christ Jesus is the Mediator between God and men" Jesus HAS NO NEED of Mary's help in HIS REDEMPTIVE WORK. What kind of God would He be, if He needed another human's help to bring humankind salvation???
God decided to be born of a woman so that He could experience our frailties and weaknesses, but most importantly He lived the PERFECT life under The Law (given to Moses) that we as humans could not, thus He FULFILLED the Law!
Mary was chosen, but she remains a human with all our weaknesses, and sins... The Catholic Church has elevated her to a position of deity that was NEVER hers. When Jesus' disciples told him his mom and siblings were looking for Him, He could have said "Yes, bring her in, she is royalty, the queen of heaven" but instead He replied "who is my mother, or brother, or sister? Whoever does the WILL of my Father in Heaven....." Matt 12:46-50
And He loved her so much, that even at the cross He cared for her and appointed John his disciple to care for her after His death and Resurrection. However, Jesus did not commission her for any special role at all, but rather left her at the care of someone else....as a widow needing to be cared for, NOT as redemptress.... that is the corrupted CC construct.
Many years ago I bought some inexpensive toys for a little boy visiting (with his mom) my father. He had nothing to play with. I saw him again many years later. He thanked me for my kindness and said no one had ever done anything like that for him. His father was abusive and his beautiful mother was extremely self-centered and neglectful. She was a hard, cold woman. We are now (and have been for a while) FB friends. His thanking me many years later really touched me as I had completely forgotten about the incident, but apparently it meant a great deal to him.
Actually, Sweden has a left hand law, and it works fabulously. Actually said to prevent traffic jams and lower accident rates. Think about it; slow traffic is the cause of most of these. Of course, most areas don’t have the bumper to bumper traffic and poorly designed freeway mergers. Still worth a trial IMHO.
In the early 70s when I was a Cadette Girl Scout, our troop volunteered at a local library to help young kids learn to read. At the time it seemed like the kids were just goofing off. A couple of years ago I posted on a local FB group for the town and mentioned what our troop had done. One woman spoke up right away and said she remembered us being there and how it made her love reading and books. So sometimes we do hear what we do makes a difference, even in a small way.
This is soooooo sweet. 💕 What an amazing testimony for just doing something small. ❤️ I love this. As I try to teach my child that people are not as blessed as we are.
There was a substacker, Ratio Bradbornius, who was putting together a potato “challenge”. Grow enough potatoes for your family for a year and grow extra potatoes to be given away. Never sold, only given away. Sadly, one day his substack was just gone and everything had been scrubbed. Being Irish, I thought this was a great idea. My mothers family first came to this country during the potato famine. I just need to look up the logistics of growing potatoes in Florida. I know they grow a lot of potatoes in Hastings, maybe I’ll head over there.....
There is a farmer in a nearby town here in SW Montana who plants a field of potatoes and every year the second Saturday of October everyone can come harvest the potatoes for free. No limits. He uses his tractor to bring the potatoes to the surface and you pick as much as you want. It’s really cool to see kids picking the potatoes out of the field and putting them in their buckets.
❤️❤️❤️ this! As a young married couple we planted a few potatoes. I loved digging out the smaller ones, and leaving some to grow larger. It was like treasure hunting. 😍
My SE Pa veg garden is very very productive in just about everything. However, potatoes I have trouble with. Soil has pH of 6.8-6.9--way too sweet for potatoes, but dandy for most other vegetables. I'm trying growing potatoes among my blueberries, where soil has been maintained (sulfur) down below 6. Don't know what Florida soil is like, but worth looking into (state ag uni will do soil test)
Been trying Kratchy hydroponics, with the advice of a neighbor, and the lettuce and tomatoes are doing amazing! Much better than my pitiful soil garden.
I'm skeptical of hydroponics. I know it works to grow healthy-looking plants with good yields. But where are the trace minerals, and all the micronutrients we haven't even discovered yet, going to come from when you grow without real soil?
That’s interesting about your potato experience. I live in a Province known for their potatoes - soil is acidic and probably under 6 pH since wild blueberries grow everywhere and regular blueberries do well too. We have trouble growing potatoes here. When I lived out west where the pH was over 8, no problem with potatoes. I always added superphosphate when planting. No scab either.
We grow regular potatoes, but for us, sweet potatoes work even better. For some reason we're able to keep them longer. Just finished the last of those we dug last fall, as firm and fine as when we dug them. Our regular potatoes get soft and eventually inedible in storage.
Great parable. Yep. Increasing one's eternal bank account can be as simple as, Be kind.
PS - the second/repeat of paragraph 3 and part of paragraph 4 missed your final edit. Your friendly copy editor caught the boo boo - in case you want to go back in. No big deal. Just a professional courtesy heads up. 😉
Our potatoes are great, as a short-term crop. Wouldn't think of not planting them. But they store about as well as yours. Sweet potatoes OTOH, we have no trouble keeping in prime condition for 8-10 months. We dig'm, hose'm off, spread to dry on newspaper or cardboard in a fairly warm spot for a week or so, then put in wire baskets in a back room, without any particular temp control.
Planting Potatoes (Author Unknown)
When I was a boy growing up we had several gardens around our old house. The largest one of all was used just for growing potatoes. I can still remember those potato planting days. The whole family helped. After my Dad had tilled the soil, my Mom, brothers, and I went to work. It was my job to drop the little seed potatoes in the rows while my Mom dropped handfuls of fertilizer beside them. My brothers then covered them all with the freshly turned earth.
For months afterward I would glance over at the garden while I played outside and wonder what was going on underneath the ground. When the harvest time came I was amazed at the huge size of the potatoes my Dad pulled out of the soil. Those little seedlings had grown into bushels and bushels of sweet sustenance. They would be turned into meal after meal of baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, fried potatoes, and my personal favorite: potatoes slowed cooked in spaghetti sauce. They would keep the entire family well fed throughout the whole year. It truly was a miracle to behold.
Thinking back on those special times makes me wonder how many other seeds I have planted in this life that have grown unseen in the hearts and minds of others. How many times has God used some little thing that I said or did to grow something beautiful? How many times has Heaven used these little seedlings to provide another’s soul with sweet sustenance?
Every single day of our lives we step out into the garden of this world. Every single day we plant seeds that can grow into something wonderful. We may never see the growth that comes from the kind words or loving acts we share but God does. I hope then that you always tend the garden around you with care. I hope that you plant only goodness, peace, and compassion in the lives of everyone you meet. I hope that everyday you help miracles to grow.had several gardens around our old house.
I had been praying, asking the Father what difference I, a 72 year-old woman, could make. Then I read about what happened in Louisiana.
And I can’t remember if it was Jeff Childers or another who linked that to the coach who prayed in, of all places, the state of Washington…..prayed when he was told NOT to pray…..he simply…..prayed. And when he got fired and went before the Supreme Court, the wording of the decision gave an opening. And the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob invited the Louisiana Legislators to move and they did.
Because ONE MAN prayed anyway.
One.
I love this message of encouragement! I visited with my daughter last evening. They live in Dallas but had just gotten back from a visit to DC where their church choir were guests at The National Cathedral for an Evensong Service. And I’m proud to say my granddaughter had a nice solo part in that. However, it was a moving experience for my daughter and she related to me how she spent that hour in the Cathedral praying for our nation, for a revival of faith and our people turning back to God.
And I say Amen.
That is the only hope I have for my country -that the Lord has mercy and touches ppl’s hearts. Revival, repentance, stirring up a hunger for righteousness and truth.
You state truth and you have done it much better than I ever could. Prayer is our only hope now.
God spared a remnant a long time ago. He has not forgotten His faithful. Hold fast to our sovereign God.
❤️❤️❤️❤️
Amen.
Can we get a witness? 😇Amen Amen🙏🪽
For those of you who are Catholic you may be familiar with the apparitions of Our Blessed Mother over the many years in different locations (Fatima, Medjugore, Kibeho, Akita, etc) and her prophecies. In this video, Fr. Chad Ripperger, an exorcist, talks about many of the prophecies. We need to pray, repent and turn to God to minimize the chastisement that is coming.
https://youtu.be/TYcEZuzBquE?si=wWnNAXzLq6v1EhFv
IF Catholics truly knew Jesus Christ and His Gospel, they would have NEVER EVER accepted anyone saying the saw an "apparition" of Mary, and much less of her asking anyone to build her a church or pay her any homage... Satan, the angel of light has dupped so many into believing his lies! The apparitions of Mary, by any other name, in any other location whether Fatima, Mexico, Lourdes, etc. is demonic activity... "I AM the Lord! That is my name, and my glory I WILL NOT give to another, nor My praise to graven images" Isa 42:8
..."They shall be greatly ashamed who trust in graven images...." Isa 42:17
You indeed need to REPENT and pray to Him who alone delivers, forsake all other idolatry and give Glory to God alone or suffer the chastisement
Concerned Mom, Mary as the mother of Jesus, appears to his faithful as an emissary for her son, not as a substitute to be worshipped. She advocates only for the worship of Jesus Christ and gives guidance and hope to his followers, especially in times of great need. The miracles serve as proof to us who need to get back on the right path. What a beautiful thing that is! So many non-Catholics have misunderstood that Mary and all of the saints are amazing inspirations that only hope to help us in building our relationship with God.
Amy, I'm speaking as a former Catholic... I know the religion, I've lived it and been abused by it. She is not an emissary for her son, she asks for churches to be built for her name... The CC is corrupt. Mary, the real person, would have NEVER participated in what the CC is doing in "her name". The CC has elevated Mary as the "empress of the Americas" basically queen of heaven... this is man's doing, not biblical, nor scriptural. I'm thankful Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior called me out of that place and has placed me in His light.
How sad that you felt the need to destroy a beautiful thread of spiritual support for our country. Frankly, I have to assume that you are in fact - The Devil
Jacquelyn dear, first of all I was the first to reply to Karmy's post, therefore no "thread of spiritual support" since she clearly deviated from the original post. I tend not to mince words, so when I reply I'm direct and use scriptural support (not MY words, but GOD'S). Lastly, Jesus was also accused of being Beelzebub The devil, so I guess I'm in good company (Jesus' company)
I do pray to Jesus, I trust in Him. I don’t presume to know God’s mind but he did choose Mary as the mother of His Son, Jesus, the man-God and made her an immaculate vessel to bring Jesus to the world. Have you not considered why God, who is the Supreme Being and creates at Will, chose to use Mary for this task and not consider her a special being as the intermediary between Jesus and the world? He could have just had Jesus appear one day. Do you not realize that Jesus and Mary are the redemptive Adam and Eve? They both, through God’s Will, have redeemed us from the original Sin committed by Adam and Eve. Oh ye of little faith.
Well, the idea of Mary being "intermediary between Jesus and the world" sounds to protestants too much like usurping the role of Christ himself - because Jesus, being both God and Man, is the true intermediary between Man and God. Not to mention, Our Lord is omniscient and omnipotent, and perfectly capable of ministering to all believers at once through His spirit -- whereas Mary, no matter how upright and holy a woman, is neither of those things.
Hopefully you can understand why those who don't hold with Rome have an objection to some of these ideas - and I hope I also demonstrated that it doesn't need to be phrased in aggressive terms, especially when dealing with people who come across as sincere and genuine in following the Lord.
I do not believe my response was “phrased in aggressive terms”. I think the woman I responded to was “aggressive”. However, if I offended you with my beliefs I apologize. My goal was to evangelize as Jesus exhorts us to do.
Apologies, I didn't mean you were aggressive, I meant the person you were replying to (who seems to agree with me but wasn't very nice about how they said it).
Karmy, thank you for the reply. I do agree that Mary was a very special and chosen vessel, but nothing more. By saying that Jesus and Mary are the redemptive Adam and Eve, you are in essence elevating Mary to the same status as Jesus! I find this as sacrilegious... 1 Tim 2:5 clearly states "Christ Jesus is the Mediator between God and men" Jesus HAS NO NEED of Mary's help in HIS REDEMPTIVE WORK. What kind of God would He be, if He needed another human's help to bring humankind salvation???
God decided to be born of a woman so that He could experience our frailties and weaknesses, but most importantly He lived the PERFECT life under The Law (given to Moses) that we as humans could not, thus He FULFILLED the Law!
Mary was chosen, but she remains a human with all our weaknesses, and sins... The Catholic Church has elevated her to a position of deity that was NEVER hers. When Jesus' disciples told him his mom and siblings were looking for Him, He could have said "Yes, bring her in, she is royalty, the queen of heaven" but instead He replied "who is my mother, or brother, or sister? Whoever does the WILL of my Father in Heaven....." Matt 12:46-50
And He loved her so much, that even at the cross He cared for her and appointed John his disciple to care for her after His death and Resurrection. However, Jesus did not commission her for any special role at all, but rather left her at the care of someone else....as a widow needing to be cared for, NOT as redemptress.... that is the corrupted CC construct.
Beautiful!
hearty Amen!
I second the motion
❤️❤️❤️❤️ Good for you!
Many years ago I bought some inexpensive toys for a little boy visiting (with his mom) my father. He had nothing to play with. I saw him again many years later. He thanked me for my kindness and said no one had ever done anything like that for him. His father was abusive and his beautiful mother was extremely self-centered and neglectful. She was a hard, cold woman. We are now (and have been for a while) FB friends. His thanking me many years later really touched me as I had completely forgotten about the incident, but apparently it meant a great deal to him.
Those "little" things matter "a lot"
Actually, Sweden has a left hand law, and it works fabulously. Actually said to prevent traffic jams and lower accident rates. Think about it; slow traffic is the cause of most of these. Of course, most areas don’t have the bumper to bumper traffic and poorly designed freeway mergers. Still worth a trial IMHO.
A small act of kindness that has stayed with this child forever. The impact that had on him is immeasurable.
❤️
In the early 70s when I was a Cadette Girl Scout, our troop volunteered at a local library to help young kids learn to read. At the time it seemed like the kids were just goofing off. A couple of years ago I posted on a local FB group for the town and mentioned what our troop had done. One woman spoke up right away and said she remembered us being there and how it made her love reading and books. So sometimes we do hear what we do makes a difference, even in a small way.
This is soooooo sweet. 💕 What an amazing testimony for just doing something small. ❤️ I love this. As I try to teach my child that people are not as blessed as we are.
There was a substacker, Ratio Bradbornius, who was putting together a potato “challenge”. Grow enough potatoes for your family for a year and grow extra potatoes to be given away. Never sold, only given away. Sadly, one day his substack was just gone and everything had been scrubbed. Being Irish, I thought this was a great idea. My mothers family first came to this country during the potato famine. I just need to look up the logistics of growing potatoes in Florida. I know they grow a lot of potatoes in Hastings, maybe I’ll head over there.....
There is a farmer in a nearby town here in SW Montana who plants a field of potatoes and every year the second Saturday of October everyone can come harvest the potatoes for free. No limits. He uses his tractor to bring the potatoes to the surface and you pick as much as you want. It’s really cool to see kids picking the potatoes out of the field and putting them in their buckets.
❤️❤️❤️ this! As a young married couple we planted a few potatoes. I loved digging out the smaller ones, and leaving some to grow larger. It was like treasure hunting. 😍
My SE Pa veg garden is very very productive in just about everything. However, potatoes I have trouble with. Soil has pH of 6.8-6.9--way too sweet for potatoes, but dandy for most other vegetables. I'm trying growing potatoes among my blueberries, where soil has been maintained (sulfur) down below 6. Don't know what Florida soil is like, but worth looking into (state ag uni will do soil test)
We use containers so we can "make" the soil just right.
Been trying Kratchy hydroponics, with the advice of a neighbor, and the lettuce and tomatoes are doing amazing! Much better than my pitiful soil garden.
I'm skeptical of hydroponics. I know it works to grow healthy-looking plants with good yields. But where are the trace minerals, and all the micronutrients we haven't even discovered yet, going to come from when you grow without real soil?
I have grown potatoes in 5 gal buckets and cardboard boxes. Both work amazingly well.
I'm growing mine in buckets as we speak. (in SC)
That’s interesting about your potato experience. I live in a Province known for their potatoes - soil is acidic and probably under 6 pH since wild blueberries grow everywhere and regular blueberries do well too. We have trouble growing potatoes here. When I lived out west where the pH was over 8, no problem with potatoes. I always added superphosphate when planting. No scab either.
We grow regular potatoes, but for us, sweet potatoes work even better. For some reason we're able to keep them longer. Just finished the last of those we dug last fall, as firm and fine as when we dug them. Our regular potatoes get soft and eventually inedible in storage.
Hopefully you can teach me how to grow potatoes in south Florida
I love this too Emumundo.
potatoes slowed cooked in spaghetti sauce. That is something I never heard of before!
Lovely story, thanks for sharing.
Great parable. Yep. Increasing one's eternal bank account can be as simple as, Be kind.
PS - the second/repeat of paragraph 3 and part of paragraph 4 missed your final edit. Your friendly copy editor caught the boo boo - in case you want to go back in. No big deal. Just a professional courtesy heads up. 😉
I heard in a Bible Study that, on average, a person hears the Gospel message 13 times before accepting the gift of salvation. 13 seeds.
❤️❤️❤️
How does one store a potato for an entire year? Can them? Mason jars? Mine don't last two weeks on cool, dry storage.
Our potatoes are great, as a short-term crop. Wouldn't think of not planting them. But they store about as well as yours. Sweet potatoes OTOH, we have no trouble keeping in prime condition for 8-10 months. We dig'm, hose'm off, spread to dry on newspaper or cardboard in a fairly warm spot for a week or so, then put in wire baskets in a back room, without any particular temp control.
wow
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8XptV1e3rAE
I love this!
Beautiful. Subscribed. You might like to check out my recent sneak peak on a conversation about duality/non-duality. You might enjoy it.
Just….beautiful
Thanks for making feel just human again.
Beautiful and true. Thank you.
Thank you for the memories and advice.
I checked online and could not find a recipe of potatoes slow-cooked in spaghetti sauce. Do you have one?
Try searching marinara and potatoes. There are a lot of variations! (I’ve never had this, but it sounds delicious!)
My Italian mamma used to add a potato to her sauce if the sauce was too salty. She never measured so sometimes the potato was needed.