Being forever changed, even when it is difficult

About 2 months ago, or so, I decided  to move a few of my plants I had in my garden. I knew that this was probably not a smart move, since it is summer time and very warm here in Texas, I did it anyways. I moved two  lantanas first. (later this fall I'll be moving all of them, because they are very crowded where they are right now, when the landscaper put them in, they were very small, and perfect for just being on the edge of the flowerbeds, they've grown.  I cut them back on a weekly basis, to keep them nice, but you still cant really see behind them. anyways...) so i chose out my "guinea pig" lantanas, and I found a spot for them (just 4 feet or so back in the flowerbed, they have  good sun and will have room to grow...) I got the new holes dug,  and then carefully took out the lantanas and then put them in the new holes and watered the holes and everything- as they were being covered up with the dirt, I could see the leaves already wilting.  I watered it, and hoped that over time it would come back....

I went ahead and took a bougainvillea out of the garden. I read somewhere that bougainvilleas really don't like to be spread out- like placed in just the ground. well they'll be fine, just they wont flower. ... and c'mon, that's the most beautiful part about a bougainvillea. ....

**this is not our bougainvillea, just a photo I found....

So I read that they do well in pots. they like their roots to be as compact, in order to bloom. 

So I grabbed a spare pot from the garage 

anyways so off i went to dig that sucker out and put it in the pot... and again, when I did it, just like the lantana, it began to wilt (although not as quickly, i did realize that about after an hour of it being transplanted it was wilting.) 

At this point with both I began to try a few different things with both plants.

I realized that they were (hopefully) just going through "transplant shock" 

So i watered (and somewhat limited the watering to the bougainvillea -since they don't like alot of water) I moved the bougainvillea into the shade at one point, and then put it back in the sun. I moved it all over the yard, I trimmed them both way back to limit the energy (probably something i should have done when i first transplanted...) bottom line, it took a few weeks, but they are doing good!! no droopy leaves. the lantana has begun to bloom (a little)  no blooms yet on the bougainvillea, but maybe next year.

ok. so i do have a point with all of this. I didn't just want to tell you how to garden.

So i noticed a little analogy. 

We have to make changes in our life to be closer to God. We have to change ourselves to not be wrapped up in worldly things. We have to change in order to grow. We have to understand that we have to get used to a new way of living, to be with God. We cannot think that we can still participate in activities that God has forbidden us to do, and still think that God will be OK with it (confess your sins, He'll forgive them... but we must understand that we have to change our ways.) 

After some time though, we will flourish. We have to get our bearings after we give up the things that God has said that we cannot do, and we will flourish in ways that will please him. 

Even though the lantanas & the bougainvillea weren't "sinning" We just placed them in the wrong spots of the garden, we knew that they needed to be in a different place so that they can flourish... sure they didn't look good at the beginning, they were in 'shock' that something different has happened to them,  but the lantanas have already begun to flourish, because it has the space to flourish, and I don't have to cut it back, i can allow it to grow, and produce all of the blooms that it desires. The bougainvillea is getting there... I think we'll have blooms on it next year (spring/early summer) we'll see though. 

Saved by Grace, Not by Works

A local radio personality, passed away over the weekend. In the midst of all of the facebook posts there was one that really stuck out to me - it said that he must be in heaven, since he founded a foundation to give trips to special and medical needs children & their families.
Granted it is a very nice thing to do, and extremely humbling for so many. It is important to reach out and to help others.
However, just because you do good works, does not mean that you will go to heaven. You can do good things for your whole life, it does not mean that you will get into heaven. 
 Ephesians 2:8-9
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.


In order to get into heaven you have to have your faith in Jesus Christ.  

Just because someone goes to church, sing songs, and does good deeds does not mean that they are truly a Christian and will get into heaven....

Just as if I go to a golf course, take some swings of a golf club, and maybe even make the golf ball go into a hole, does not mean that I'm a golfer. 

you have to truly believe with your heart that Jesus died to be your savior, confess it with your mouth. Then you'll be saved.

Romans 10:9

9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

God has instructed us to do good things, and be a faithful servant. we are directed to serve others, however just by serving others does not merely get you into heaven, it takes just a little more than that- to believe and declare with your mouth that "Jesus is Lord" and truly and deeply believe in  your heart that God raised him from the dead.

not just say it, but believe it with your whole heart.

It does sadden me to see some people to do so much good and help others and such, but you know that deep down (or not so deep) they are only doing good so that they can be recognized (when they are not to be boastful about the good deeds) or they are doing it because they think that "oh, God would like this, and this will help me be on his side..... and I'll get into heaven, even though I don't completely believe that He died for my sins..."
It is sad to see.
We must recognize it though, and God told us how we can get into heaven - we just have to do it, and believe it. ..........
SO i must ask you,
Do you fully believe? or are you just putting on a mask for others (or even yourself) to think that you are a Christian?