The garden and the metal ants

But first let Jesus tell us three stories that fit into each other or balance on top of each other.

The Scribes and Pharisees said Jesus talked and ate with sinners and so He did, but Jesus was a story teller and this is how he spoke to them.

If you had 100 sheep and 99 were all safe at home, wouldn’t you go and find the lost one? If you found it, wouldn’t you carry it home on your shoulders and have a party with your friends!

I am telling you that there is much joy in heaven over one sinner that says sorry.

Jesus then talks about a lost coin that is found with joy and says there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that says sorry.

The next story tops or balances on these two. A man has two sons one takes his inheritance spends it unwisely comes back home and says: ‘ I am so sorry, so sorry that I will be happy to be treated as your servant,please accept me as such!’ The Father places a robe on him and gives an amazing party.

These are the Father’s words: ‘For this my child was dead and is alive again, they were lost, and are found! And they began to be merry. (But there was another son…) Sandy’s summary of Luke 15: 1-22)

Now our garden and those metal ants.

The area near the water’s edge where there is place for a round blue metal table and two slatted chairs needed us to weed it and cut the grass. The grass in bits fell into the water and I absent-mindedly took the rake with its sharp metal teeth and ran it over the top of the edge of the water. The teeth got caught in some green algae and as it did so I pressed down a little more strongly until a large amount of algae tangled itself on the metal prongs. Just then a small fish its red blue and brown darted in the black grey of the water. I was pleased! It was the smallest and had survived the winter. The rake in my hand with a little more movement felt heavy, what was there? It was the metal ant. I had,had two large ones with a small one on a stone and they must have slipped into the water during the winter. Foxes, cats, mice and even hedgehogs drink here not mentioning the heron , bluetits and robbin. Any one of these could have tipped them in , but here they were back where they belonged. I am still keeping an eye open for the little one.

Here are these metal ants and the shadow of the table. The ants are part of a warm happy memory. Once upon a time a long time ago I bought these ants in Holambra. The name is made up from three countries Ho Holand, am America, bra Brazil. It is located in the state of Săo Paulo Brazil and has another name ‘ Little Holland’. Why? Because it was founded by Dutch immigrants in 1948. It is the largest producer of flowers and ornamental plants in Latin America. The town has a Dutch windmill and colourful Dutch houses. The food is traditional Dutch food served in the Dutch way. It is a little piece of the Netherlands.

It was a treat to visit this place and buy these ants, strong, light and easily put in a suitcase. Why was I there? I was teaching with my colleagues. It was a lot of fun. The students were older teens, they were eager and the days were such that there was always more time. There was time in the classroom, time visiting places and time to have worship. All three made for a good experience. So many stories…

Brazil and Săo Paulo in particular where the sun shines but when it rains it does that with drops so big they slap the cement and fill the gutters faster than the down pipes can take it away. We missed a plane through one of those down pours but that was no bother another day in a sunny place. Always sun after the rain.

Lovely Brazil!

When wealth is lost, nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; when character is lost, all is lost.

Billy Graham

Take care,

Sandy 🙂