"Who is a God like you Khaylan Thomas Jersey , who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance?" (Micah 7:18).
How we crave to be forgiven by God and by man! Who is a God like this who suffers long with our sins and doubts? Who is this who withdraws the plumb line of judgment? "I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line" (Isaiah 28:17). God's people are made according to His standards, and we are expected to be true to these standards. But when we are tested, we are found to be out of plumb. We are not up to God's measurements.
"For the Son of Man came to seek and save what was lost" (Luke 19:10); "For I have not come to call the righteous Isaiah Floyd Jersey , but sinners" (Matthew 9:13). Since we are all sinners, this means us. What hope this gives us! What a Friend we have in Jesus: "And here is how to measure it--the greatest love is shown when a person lays down his life for his friends" (John 15:13 TLB). This is the plumb line: love.
"And I pray that you. . .may have power. . .to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled with the measure of all the fullness of God" (Ephesians 3:17-19). Any friendship is measured by the depth of its affection in the sacrifices it makes and the burdens it bears. Jesus is indeed the Friend of humanity.
Moses asked God to show him His glory; instead Frank Darby Jersey , God chose to show Moses His goodness (Exodus 33:18,19). "And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming Casey Tucker Jersey , `The Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger A.J. Carter Jersey , abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousand, and forgiving wickedness Cheap Arizona State Sun Devils Jerseys , rebellion and sin'" (Exodus 34:6,7). How can we not love such a God as this!
How Plants Survive Winter
Posted On : Mar-05-2010 | seen (341) times | Article Word Count : 427 |
The survival of plants in cold weather is due to acclimation, which involves getting several weeks of exposure to near-freezing temperatures before a frost. Plants purposely put themselves in a state of desiccation. They remove excess water from their leaves-in the case of evergreens like rhododendrons and conifers-or from buds and stems. When they are in this self-induced dry state Ty Thomas Sun Devils Jersey , protection from wind can be a plus. It's cold鈥攖he plants in the greenhouse are thriving-their glossy leaves in stark contrast to the view beyond the glass. Outside, brown and gray bare stems and drooping evergreen leaves are rimmed in ice. Have you ever wondered-what mechanisms make those outdoor plants survive beyond the greenhouse walls? And why is one plant designated a Zone 7 and another a Zone 3?
I checked out these questions and learned that one of the main factors for cold survival is how plants handle water. Then I called Ross Penhallagon, at the Oregon State University Extension Service office. He confirmed what I had discovered.
Ross told me that the first aspect of cold survival is acclimation. Plants do best when they get several weeks of exposure to near-freezing temperatures before a frost. This signals them to prepare.
Dry Strategies Work
One preparation method? Plants purposely put themselves in a state of desiccation. They remove excess water from their leaves-in the case of evergreens like rhododendrons and conifers-or from buds and stems. It's similar to draining exposed pipes so that ice won't expand and burst them. In plants Shannon Forman Sun Devils Jersey , the forming ice plays havoc with unprotected cellular structures-why tomato vines are mush after a first frost.
But tougher vegetation evolved in colder climates has adapted. Some savvy plants move water from within their cells to between the cells, where there is more room for expansion. All excess water goes from the roots into the surrounding soil. What's left behind has higher concentrations of sugars that act like antifreeze. Colder zone plants produce more of this antifreeze protection. Conifers have quite a bit. Greenhouse tropicals have none.
How Gardeners Can Help
When plants are in this self-induced dry state, protection from wind can be a plus. However Ryan Kelley Sun Devils Jersey , it's common gardening advice to water plants well before a frost. Maybe that's true in parts of the country where freezes are seldom expected鈥攐range groves are watered overhead so forming ice protects the plants from lower than 32 degree temperatures. But unless the ground is bone dry, Ross confirmed for me that watering the soil before a frost may do more harm than good. After all, the plants are doing their best to get rid of water D. J. Foster Sun Devils Jersey , right?