Commun ty Matters Newton Presbyterian Manor
June 2015
Chaplain’s Corner
Voices calling By Jerroll Martens, chaplain
The first chapter of Proverbs has several voices calling for followers. The first voice is that of a father asking his son to listen to him and his mother. The result would bring blessing in his life. The second voice is from “sinners,” described as greedy, enticing, willing to do about anything to benefit themselves, even to the point of destroying lives. The third voice is that of wisdom calling to follow the ways of the Lord. It is a voice that pleads and warns against refusing to hear this voice. It speaks of reaping the results of what one has sown in life. The final verse seems to picture one who has followed the ways of the Heavenly Father and is now late in life. He feels safe and secure in his Father’s care. He can have quiet even in the midst of alarming fears around him. He surely knows his Father has a place of eternal peace for him. These verses written more than 3,000 years ago are still so relevant today. No matter what age, let’s listen to the voice of God. The Bible speaks of great reward to those who will listen to God as He speaks to us through it.
A healthy harvest
Gardening is resident’s favorite way to be active, eat well
Betty Harder claims that she only plants a small garden for herself. Then she starts to list off the vegetables that will grow there: “I’ve got spinach, lettuce, radishes, green onions, potatoes and tomatoes,” Betty says. Sounds like a nice little patch. But wait, she’s not done. “I have peppers, too. And green beans. And I did about five feet of okra.” Is that all? “I also have some yellow squash and cucumbers. I just do a little of everything, though.” When Betty was growing up on the farm, she always helped weed her mother’s vegetable garden. It was enough work on its own, and so her mother didn’t have time left to grow flowers. But Betty did. “In grade school, I’d find a corner of the yard to plant flowers. My mother enjoyed it when I did it,” Betty said. “I have always enjoyed digging in the dirt.” HARVEST, continued on page 2