One of the challenges of Florida living that we are still trying to master is what and when to plant a few of our favorite vegetables. We're not interested in a big vegetable garden--just a few tomatoes, maybe some peppers. Last year we tried planting a tomato in a pot in the fall. It grew like gangbusters for about six weeks, but produced very small fruit that didn't ripen. Apparently we planted too late and the nights were too cold for the tomatoes to mature.
Not ones to give up quickly, we're trying again. This time we're using the Topsy Turvy Tomato planter in which the plant grows upside down. The theory is that the planter works like a greenhouse as the sun warms the roots, the water and nutrients flow from the root to the fruit, supposedly producing tons of delicious fruit without backbreaking labor. We're all about juicy, ripe tomatoes with little effort! I know--it sounds too good to be true. But we found the planter in a bargain bin somewhere, so aside from the $5.98 plant purchased at Lowes today, have little invested. Stay tuned for the results.
Recently I signed up with Thomas Nelson Publishers to be a Book Sneezer. It's a program in which they give away books to bloggers who will post a review on their blog and another commercial site. I signed on thinking it a great way to make sure I blog somewhat regularly, while also staying up with the latest releases. For my first review I chose Living Life in the Zone: A 40-Day Spiritual Game Plan for Men.
I’m not a guy, not a jock. So why would I choose to review Living Life in the Zone for my first Book Sneeze review? I am interested in spiritual formation. And I was curious to see if what Rote and Pettigrew offer as a 40-day spiritual game plan for men would have any application to women? Is it necessary or proper to address men’s and women’s spiritual formation differently?
Many behavioral scientists believe it takes at least 21 days to establish a habit. Rote and Pettigrew note that throughout scripture God uses forty days as a significant period of time in which to accomplish his purposes—Moses’ mountaintop experience with God; Elijah’s journey to Mount Horeb, and Jesus’ fasting and temptation in the desert to name a few. The authors assert that their forty day game plan holds similar life-changing potential.
Living Life in the Zone covers the basic ‘zones’ of a typical man’s life: relationships with spouse, children, friends, at work, and with God. Within each area the authors cover the typical trouble spots: keeping the romance alive in marriage, carrying your faith into the work place, being an engaged parent, nurturing friendships that keep you on the right path. Each day’s reading is divided into seven categories designed to help the reader live life in the zone: a thought of the day, Coach’s Corner (relating God’s Word to real life), Game Plan (what the Bible says about the day’s topic), Playmakers (real-life examples of sports figures and business men living out or struggling to live out their faith), Time Out (questions for personal reflection), an assignment or action for the day, and praises or concerns to bring to God.
Personally, I enjoyed the personal stories most. Though I happen believe that we’re living in a sports-addicted culture and as a society our priorities are mixed up, I did find many of the personal stories of athletes and other popular figures attempting to live out their faith in a predominantly self-centered, man-honoring arena, inspiring and encouraging. I suspect these stories alone might be enough to draw a good number of men to this book. Anyone who enjoys a good story, however, and desires to live life to the fullest would benefit from studying and applying the principles in this book.
The recent cold snap in Central Florida was hard on much of the vegetation. Very little is left of our backyard landscaping which we put in a little more than a year ago. It's our own fault. We did not pay particularly close attention to plants that are native to the area when we chose plants, nor did we cover anything when the weather turned cold. Call it fatalism or laziness. My theory is that I cannot control the weather and if the One who does decides to send a cold snap, who am I to argue with Him?
The one plant, however, that I wish would die, refuses to. I don't know what it is. It produces a white, spidery flower on a long stem. It's in the front yard, which is under the jurisdiction of the homeowners association. They must approve any significant changes we make to the front of the house. We've not yet fully developed our plans for re-landscaping the front yard, partly because having to go through the process of having it approved by the HOA just seems like too much of a hassle. Granted, it's not the ugliest plant I've ever seen. I would just rather have something else in the front yard. But if the "spider" plant would succumb to the freezing temperatures, I'm assuming it would be easier to get such a change of plant approved.
Two weeks ago I thought it had been done in by this year's cold snap as all its broad, green leaves had turned a brittle brown. But last week new green shoots appeared, followed soon after by a flower. My hardy plant reminds me of Paul's observations about sin in our lives: "The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge." (Romans 7:21-23; The Message)
