This month, I am sending this Coffee Break via email as with the ever increasing postage costs, we are having to do this more and more.  Please make sure that this is passed or photocopied to those who need to read this.

Over the last couple of weekends as one of my many little projects I have been constructing a green house in order to get a head start on the coming growing season.  I had purchased a kitset some time ago so unpacking and laying out the components was the first thing to do and then read the instructions.

Coming from China the instructions were not quite as easy to follow as one might hope eg. The first step said to not yet tighten the 16 bolts around the base but nowhere in the later steps was the instruction given to do so.  I then found after a couple of steps something would require the undoing of previous pieces in order to insert the bolts to hold the next parts. Thus a measure of frustration developed.

The time frame was also optimistic saying to allow 5 hours, but 8 hours work later and I still have at least half a day to go.  

But I have enjoyed doing this as it is very different from sitting at the keyboard a good part of the day. I have been outside in the sun and wind, with boots on and creating some mud! And it is the end result that provides the motivation – a structure that will help provide nourishment for the bodies of family and friends for years to come through growing good vegetables, so long as we do the right sowing and watering! Yes we expect God to give the increase because that is the way He has ordered nature and given us the privilege of working with him towards the harvest.

I found for myself that I can be patient even amidst the frustration, and it pays to study the instructions well including looking carefully at the diagrams. And like all buildings the key is getting the foundation correct, both squared and level.

The parallels/parables for life in the natural and spiritual are obvious and it is good to ponder them and thereby do a bit of a personal stock take. The ordinary things of life are where we find lessons for our walk with Heavenly Father and their being worked out.