Stephen De La Vega

  It’s July, a little late for resolutions, but it’s summer when many of us try to do something different, so here we go. Come with me on a journey to resolve. This is the beginning of a series that will keep us busy for several months. A series of resolutions toward which every Christian should strive. Since we’re in the Year 2024, these resolutions are drawn from every chapter 20, verse 24 of God’s Word – 15 total, 1 post at a time, in the order they appear in our Bibles. Here are the resolutions and Bible books. I will… 1.         Worship God Alone (Exodus) 2.         Be More Holy (Leviticus) 3.         Aim High (Numbers) 4.         Trust in God’s Strength (Judges) 5.         Nurture Quality Friendships (1 Samuel) 6.         Stand for God’s Government (2 Samuel) 7.         Follow God through Highs and Lows (1 Kings) 8. ...

  The Scorpion Weed, also known as phacelia hastata, or Silverleaf Phacelia. I’m not a plant buff – not even in the slightest – but I’ve seen these plants in the wild. They boast pretty clusters of purple blooms 1 to 2 feet above the ground. The image above was captured a month ago, in late Fall, so the stems and blooms have died off. But the plant itself is perennial so it retains life, and it returns to vibrancy in the Spring. I spotted this Silverleaf where it can be easily trampled but it is a survivor, nonetheless. I expect it will endure the snow and flourish again after the winter. It even defends itself against human predators. Like poison oak, its hairy flowers, seed pods, and stems are equipped with rash-inducing oils. So, if we don’t respect this plant when we see it, we might respect it later if we touch it. Many of us respect life in nature, but not all of us. Many of us respect human life, but not all of us.   This post is Episode 6 of an 8-episode series about...