THEME: "Putting the words of the Bible into your everyday life, giving you thankfulness."
PROMPTS: Sweet potatoes, pictures of sweet potatoes, possibly a sweet potato slip in a glass jar or other related items. BIBLE VERSE: "Let your roots grow down into him and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught and you will overflow with thankfulness." Colossians 2:7 MESSAGE: Have you ever wondered what makes plants grow big and strong, especially vegetables you grow in the garden? You plant seeds or small bulbs in the spring, then water them and give them nutriments, and finally you get to pick them and eat what you grew. |
Some of my favorite garden vegetables are sweet corn, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers (made into pickles) and most of all sweet potatoes. At our house we call them "sweet taters" because it is a way of saying potato we learned as kids. Sweet taters are truly sweeter than regular taters, with a reddish color that when cooked up can be served all kids of ways.
You can cut up sweet taters just like regular French fries for a delicious treat. You can put then in the oven and serve with butter and brown sugar just like a regular baked tater and finally, they are delicious when made into a big casserole for the holidays. You cook them until soft, then mash them up, add brown sugar or molasses and cover the top with marsh mellows. We always have them at Thanksgiving.
What is interesting about sweet taters is that you are really eating the roots of the plant, not the fruit that grows on the top of plants like tomatoes. You plant a small green plant into the ground and as it grows it puts all the good stuff to make it strong into the root, which grows and grows into the large bulb we harvest and eat.
How do you grow big strong sweet tater plants, well you give them plenty of sun, water, nutriments, and a touch of love.
Growing in God's word is the same thing. If you put the words of the Bible into your heart every day, sending it down to the roots of your soul, you will become a big bulb with a strength in the Lord. Our Bible verse comes from Colossians 2:7, "Let your roots grow down into him and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught and you will overflow with thankfulness."
So the next time you eat sweet taters remember this lesson and grow your roots into the Bible.
You can cut up sweet taters just like regular French fries for a delicious treat. You can put then in the oven and serve with butter and brown sugar just like a regular baked tater and finally, they are delicious when made into a big casserole for the holidays. You cook them until soft, then mash them up, add brown sugar or molasses and cover the top with marsh mellows. We always have them at Thanksgiving.
What is interesting about sweet taters is that you are really eating the roots of the plant, not the fruit that grows on the top of plants like tomatoes. You plant a small green plant into the ground and as it grows it puts all the good stuff to make it strong into the root, which grows and grows into the large bulb we harvest and eat.
How do you grow big strong sweet tater plants, well you give them plenty of sun, water, nutriments, and a touch of love.
Growing in God's word is the same thing. If you put the words of the Bible into your heart every day, sending it down to the roots of your soul, you will become a big bulb with a strength in the Lord. Our Bible verse comes from Colossians 2:7, "Let your roots grow down into him and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught and you will overflow with thankfulness."
So the next time you eat sweet taters remember this lesson and grow your roots into the Bible.
This giant sweet potato was grown by Rod Herrs of Leavenworth County, Kansas. It weighed nearly 20 pounds and was bigger than a football.
Rod is an elder at his church and is known for growing the best vegetables in the county. He shares his produce with his church, a daycare, and anyone he can find. Some people say he has a "green thumb," but in truth he has a big heart full of God's love. |