The girls were both given a book from the Lost Sheep series by Andrew McDonough for Christmas. They're excellent books - I really love them as do the girls. Sarah's favourite is Basil the Branch, which we read this morning after reading a few stories from her Toddler Bible - she'd asked me if we could read "that book about Jesus".
Throughout the story, Basil so desperately tries to produce a bunch of grapes all by himself, but his efforts are futile. After many attempts he's ready to give up, then he hears a voice: the vine! "I am the vine", said the vine, "and you are the branch. You can't produce grapes on your own. Stop straining and just stick with me." Of course, when summer came, a beautiful bunch of grapes appeared.
The story's based on John 15:1, 5 (CEV) of course. "Jesus said to his disciples: 'I am the vine, and you are the branches. If you stay joined to me, and I stay joined to you, then you will produce lots of fruit. But you can't do anything without me."
How often I try to do things in my own strength, instead of relying on Jesus.
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