Hambone and I have been talking about dirt recently. At the turn of the 1900s there was a resurgence of “muscular christianity” which emphasized fitness and nature and our-body-as-a-temple. This movement gave us the likes of Theodore Roosevelt.
Ill give you and readers here a spoiler for things coming to the Peasant Times-Dispatch. Hambone asked “what is our adjective? How would we explain the peasant philosophy? X Christianity?”
After chewing on it and going back and forth, I suggested “Dirt Christianity”. We loved that, It gets at the humility we are going for and emphasizes language Christ used in parables.
My favorite example: the parable of the sower. The mustard seed is faith, and it comes from God. *We are the dirt*. And not in a degrading way, but an ennobling way--if we worry about our spiritual soil, the seed Christ plants in is can bare good fruit. If we let worries and distractions overcrowd us, we will choke it with thorns.
There is no quick fix for our souls, no shortcuts to transformation. The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago, the second best time is today.
This is a great and inspirational message and lines up perfectly with things that have been on my mind!
If you can get it, there is nothing better than well rotted horse manure for building up soil. I started on thin, derelict soil 20 years ago and it's great now. I should say it doesn't take 20 years! Also make your own compost from your fruit/vegetable parings and unbleached paper/cardboard (avoid anything printed). Don't forget that beans and legumes fix nitrogen in the soil so if you can buy legume seed for a cover crop it is well worth doing. Above all, enjoy engaging with the soil and nature but from your post above, you're already doing that successfully!
Something to remember whenever we feel stuck in our spiritual life. Thank you for the shoutout, much appreciated. Great idea to do a comment highlight, thoughtful way to build community.
Hambone and I have been talking about dirt recently. At the turn of the 1900s there was a resurgence of “muscular christianity” which emphasized fitness and nature and our-body-as-a-temple. This movement gave us the likes of Theodore Roosevelt.
Ill give you and readers here a spoiler for things coming to the Peasant Times-Dispatch. Hambone asked “what is our adjective? How would we explain the peasant philosophy? X Christianity?”
After chewing on it and going back and forth, I suggested “Dirt Christianity”. We loved that, It gets at the humility we are going for and emphasizes language Christ used in parables.
My favorite example: the parable of the sower. The mustard seed is faith, and it comes from God. *We are the dirt*. And not in a degrading way, but an ennobling way--if we worry about our spiritual soil, the seed Christ plants in is can bare good fruit. If we let worries and distractions overcrowd us, we will choke it with thorns.
There is no quick fix for our souls, no shortcuts to transformation. The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago, the second best time is today.
This is a great and inspirational message and lines up perfectly with things that have been on my mind!
Thank you, SE!
I love the symbolism and depth to "dirt Christianity" and how you so beautifully describe how Jesus plants in our spiritual soil.
If you can get it, there is nothing better than well rotted horse manure for building up soil. I started on thin, derelict soil 20 years ago and it's great now. I should say it doesn't take 20 years! Also make your own compost from your fruit/vegetable parings and unbleached paper/cardboard (avoid anything printed). Don't forget that beans and legumes fix nitrogen in the soil so if you can buy legume seed for a cover crop it is well worth doing. Above all, enjoy engaging with the soil and nature but from your post above, you're already doing that successfully!
"what once was a wasteland
is now covered in dewdrops"
Something to remember whenever we feel stuck in our spiritual life. Thank you for the shoutout, much appreciated. Great idea to do a comment highlight, thoughtful way to build community.