The Garden Post
is designed to share news, connections and information specifically for women, offer
spiritual encouragement and insight, and provide resources for wise living.
I welcome the opportunity to connect with you and want to hear from you. Stop by my BLOG periodically or give me a call. Email me any time with a question or suggestion.
I'm
thankful for the gifts of friendship and want to share them. Do you
think about the unique role you have as a woman in your home, your
community? Do you have a question about your faith? About God?
Let's connect today... Louann
Louann Rodgers
lkrodgers@comcast.net
www.RootedToGrow.com |
August 19th
i s o u r n e x t
S u m m e r
B o o k C l u b
It's been a great summer so far and our next gathering will be in August. Plan now to join us for these terrific books:
-Shadows of Lancaster County
by Mindy Sterns Clark
-Sacred Influence
by Gary Thomas
-Feathers from the Nest
by Beth Moore
7:00pm in the main lobby, discussions will start promptly at 7:15pm
Download [PDF] our Readers Review and Discussion Schedule
Questions? Contact Eve Kramp, 610.518.0446 |
Friendship
Friendship is a gift. Friends share in the laughter, hold us up through tears, and mostly point us to God.
Friends are among life's greatest treasures. In the presence of close friends, we laugh about what drove us crazy just minutes before. We cry without shame, knowing we will be understood.
Friendships need cultivating. Sometimes, we make mistakes, we overstep our intentions, we cause hurt. Let's extend grace and be gracious.
~~~~~
12 Times to say
I'm Sorry:
- are wrong
- are rude
- are defensive
- are impatient
- are negative
- are hurtful
- are insenstivie
- are forgetful
- are confused or confusing
- have neglected, or overlooked something important to one you love
- have damaged or misused something that is not yours
- have not said 'I'm sorry' as sincerely aand quickly as the situation needed
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NEW!! Infant - K program now offered BOTH Wednesday and Thursday mornings.
K i d s C l u b . . .
a fun place to be
Kids Club is an integrated morning of friendship and fun learning, offered to moms who are in Women's Bible Study on Wednesday & Thursday mornings. Our program is led by some very talented, gifted, and experienced coordinators, and staffed by an amazing teaching team, committed to serve the entire year, growing in love and care of your children.
Jen Moyer directs our Wednesday morning program. Jen is the wife of Brian, and a mother of two. Jen is an educator with experience in designing preschool programs. Her heart for children
is unmistakeable as she has developed the WOW curriculum from its
beginnings six years ago - a themed, station based program. Jen and her
team do worship and music with sign language, themed Crafts and snacks
and character drama for story-time. 
Janet Battaglia directs our Thursday morning program. Janet is a mom to two sons and grandmother
to four boys and two girls who are always a source of delight to her.
She has been married to Mike for almost 40 years. Janet taught 1st
grade for three years and preschool for 25 years. She is creative,
energetic and gifted with a love for teaching and caring for our dedicated teaching team. 
We also offer a Bible-based home school program
(grades 1-12) on Wednesdays that includes Bible teaching and an enhanced curriculum
based classes of Bible, Multimedia arts, and gym. Melissa Behm directs this program with a talented team of teachers. Melissa is wife of Mark and a home schooling mother of four. She designed the program from its inception six years ago. Melissa has a law degree, but has
clearly been called by God to serve in her home. Melissa's leadership has blessed our Wednesday morning program.
 Kids Club is offered in conjunction with Women's Bible Study. There is a $10 registration/per child.
Click here to learn more:
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Tips to Share
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Here's a really fun list of tips for everything from removing spilled wax to economical and unique cleaning tips.
It's worth a quick read!
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Summer Worship
 Join us Sunday Mornings for worship at 9:00am and 10:30 am. Our summer series is focused in knowing and growing closer to Our Mighty God.
CONNECT'09
Missions experience for the entire family. August 14-16. Learn what God is doing around the world, connect with many of our missionary partners, and join together for a fabulous weekend.
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C o n n e c t i o n & L i n k s
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"Blessed be
the Lord
for the beauty
of summer
and spring,
for the air,
the water,
the verdure,
and the song
of birds."
-Carl von Linneaus |
Sweating?. . . perhaps a dewy glow?
I'm convinced we have two choices every summer... give in to the heat and humidity and go at the season with vigor and sweat -- or hide from the waves of that close damp air any chance we can get.Air conditioning is a wonderful thing, but sometimes I fear it robs us of those moments of abandon which we can only find in summer. Summer is so forgiving, with relaxed clothes and great  piles of icy treats. Outdoor meals where the crumbs really can fall. Fun things to wear like ankle bracelets and flip flops in totally cool colors. In summer I find my youth and creativity. A rule-follower by nature, I actually break some rules. I blast the music in my car at levels I've always said were inappropriate. I let dishes pile in the sink. We all stay up way too late and enjoy more chocolate and popcorn than is reasonable. I allow the girls to continue swimming when it's drizzling and we're barefoot any chance we can get. Summer days are gloriously endless. I treasure those long walks at night when the sun is just starting to set, because it's lazy and takes its time. After sunset I am just too practical. The nightime reminds me of to-do lists to make and preparations to plan for the next day. In summer the sun lingers and adds to my joy. We live in that part of our country where summer brings the inevitable humidity. This year it was slow to join the season but now is here in all its wet vigor. I am reminded of Dr. Seuss's classic book "Summer". A one word title book packed with sweaty, summer word pictures... images of swings, sun, sand, softball and fire-flies... drippy ice cream cones, bicycles, heat, cloud drawn pictures in the sky and the slow, lingering time. As children we wiped away the humidity and ran faster. As adults, we properly adjust our activities and try to manage the balmy heat, keeping a 'dewy glow' without breaking into a sweat. One morning spent with my six year old nephew reminded me of just how proper I had become. What a spiritual picture for me! Does my spiritual energy pursue God with a wake up morning joy, honest curiosity and earnest pursuit that sometimes might take a tumble or even break out into a sweat? Am I just a bit too staid and appropriate? Are my journal notes ordered just so, and is my worship tentative? I want to push through the sweaty seasons of change, contentent, obedience, tough decision making, and waiting with a spiritual passion that is real, active and life changing, filled with purpose and assurance. A wise friend shared this priceless quote with me:"We should not arrive at death's door all prim and proper in a pretty and
well-preserved body. Instead we ought to arrive breathlessly, skidding
broadside through the pearly gates, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and
loudly proclaiming,
"WOW! What a ride!"
[source: "Laughter from Heaven" by Barbara Johnson] I want to know that
each day in every season is filled with moments that make me feel His
passion within me. I  want to call on the name of the Lord because I know He hears me [Psalm 5:1-3]. I guess I really do want to sweat. Let's pursue God daily at an earnest pace.
Let's move from our comfortable places and ask God to use us for His purpose each and every day. Let's look with wide childlike eyes at the things around us and listen with ears willing to hear correction, direction and truth --- and respond with obedience, wise discernment and surrender.
Let's break a sweat.
Let's get in line for that ride -- rollercoaster or carousel.
Just be sure to ride, soak up the heat and feel the fresh breeze as you surrender to His movement.
"The LORD is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth." [Psalm 145:18]
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Women's Bible Study begins September 22nd-23rd-24th
Join us for one of three study sessions weekly:
Tuesday Evenings, 7:00-9:00pm
Meeting same time as Jr. High Youth
Wednesday Mornings, 9:15-11:15am
NEW!! Infant-Kindergarten Kids Club for preschoolers
Thursday Mornings, 9:15-11:15am
Infant-Kindergarten Kids Club for preschoolers
REGISTER NOW to help us plan.
We are offering four study track choices.
[Download study track descriptions here].
Questions? call 610.431.0300x109 or email women@rootedtogrow.com |
Summertime fountains...
Refreshing Conversations
The writer of the Proverbs frequently compares our
words to a fountain.
When we have had an uplifting conversation with someone, we are as
refreshed as though we had a drink of sparkling water from a spring.
The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of
life... (Prov. 10:11)
The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom... (Prov. 10:31)
The Proverbs writer helps us know the kind of
conversation that is comparable to a refreshing fountain,
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Refreshing conversation is appropriate to
the occasion: The lips of the righteous know what is fitting
(10:32). Later he repeats this comment in another fashion: The tongue
of the wise commends knowledge (15:2). The New King James Version
translates commend as uses knowledge rightly. What a gift it
would be to always say the right thing at the right time. The Proverbs writer
helps us toward that goal.
- Refreshing conversation is thoughtful of
others. The heart of the righteous weighs its answers
(15:28). The wise not only guard their heart, but also their tongue, to
keep from muddying the waters of the conversation fountain: He who guards
his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity (21:23). Considering
others before we speak will keep us from wishing we had bitten our tongue after
we have spoken.
-
Refreshing conversation is uplifting to
others. When the heart and mouth are guarded, the conversation benefits
the listeners: A wise man's heart guides his mouth, and his lips promote
instruction (16:23).This is possible because Wise men store up
knowledge (10:14). The result is beneficial not only to the listeners but
also to the whole of society: Through the blessing of the upright a city is
exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed (11:11).
When these words sink into our hearts, we join the
psalmist in praying, "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of
my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." (Psalm
19:14)
[source: Peggy Musgrove]
Who can you encourage today?
Who should you call to reconnect with?
Who needs to hear some words of truth?
Who needs to be uplifted?
Where do you need to spread some refreshment?
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Want more options in your workout? 
Under
a time crunch?
Need
to get in and out quicker?
Need
an $economic$ incentive?
NEW!
Classes from Body and Soul
Tuesdays & Fridays ----- Sep 8 - Dec
8
Cardio//Strength 1
hour ----- 9:15
- 10:15 a.m.
Cardio/Strength 1hr
15 min ----- 9:15 - 10:30 a.m.
Strength &
Flexibility 1 hour ----- 9:30 -
10:30 a.m.
at
Christ Community Church, 1190 Phoenixville Pike, West
Chester
1
hr: 2x week $98 1x week $54
1
hr 15 min: 2x week $122.50 1x week $66.30
10%
discount to new students & to seniors (60+) Childcare available at add'l cost.
**********Please contact for more
information***********
Instructors: Marj
Scott /josmls@comcast.net/610-719-1960
Darla Speaker
/speakers6@verizon.net/610-437-8019
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Have
you enjoyed these days of summer? The change in routine and summer
travels brings the unexpected joy of new experiences, adventures,
friendship and perhaps... a change in that stirs us up,
demands an adjustment, a fresh perspective? Don't let summer
changes distract you from finding quiet moments with The Lord. Take
advantage of the early morning quiet, or a few afternoon moments in
your garden. Be sure to enjoy the uniqueness of this season of light,
color, heat and reflection. Wherever summer travels take you, know that God will use you in unexpected ways... let Him guide you, and take time to listen.
Know that you are in my prayers!
Louann Rodgers ~ 610.431.0300 x109 ~ lkrodgers@comcast.net
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