You're the STAR - Week#1 GARDEN (November 2026)

The leaves sure are coming down now!  Many more still to come :-) 

Thank you again for joining us!

There are many ways to follow me:

Angie @ God's Growing Garden

blog  |  TruthSocial  |  facebook  |  pinterest  |  twitter  |  zazzle  |  RUMBLE

NOTE ABOUT DIFFICULTY LINKING UP:  I know that the "linky" service that I use not longer brings you back to the bloghop after linking up, so I thought it might be easier to click the "You're the Star BLOG HOP" tab at the top of the blog.  That way you will not have to scroll through other posts (if you link up on Monday then this will not be an issue for you because the hop will be the top post.  I hope that this tip will help - Thank you for linking your amazing posts!) 

___________________________________________________________________

Before we continue onto the Linky party I wanted to share from my blog:

What I'm Thankful for Today #1 - FOUR SEASONS

WELCOME to the first week of the November 2026 "You're the Star" Blog Hop!

_____________________________________

WELCOME to GARDEN feature week of the November 2026 "You're the STAR" blog hop!

Meet all of your Hosts

This week is GARDEN feature week
Swing by the Hosts blogs:

Angie @ God's Growing Garden
Colleen @ Butterfly in the Attic

Michelle @ Moms Are Frugal

Lisa @ At Home With Lisa

Kris @ Kris and Larry . com

This is a month long Linky party featuring YOU!

There will be 4 different features each week and 4 different feature categories.  Just to be clear - this is NOT a themed party - you may link up ANY family-friendly blog posts any day of each month. 
The "theme" occurs in our weekly features:
WEEK#1 GARDEN - gardening, homesteading, recycling, outdoor activities &/or preserving (this can include any type of green living, repurposed ideas, outdoor concerns, posts relating to farm animals etc all while remaining family friendly)

(These features were chosen from the October 2026 "You're the Star" blog hop)

Ethel M Chocolates Botanical Cactus Garden by Blue Collar Travel Adventures

Caramel Apple Freezer Marmalade by Cindy's On-Line Recipe Box

Autumn Shows Us How Beautiful it is To Let Things Go by Amy's Creative Pursuits

Quick Pickled Beets & Eggs by Scratch Made Food

If you've been featured then please grab a STAR button below:

*******************************************************

*******************************************************

All Hosts/CoHosts will post this blog hop on every Monday of each week.
Please link up your family friendly blog posts below!
It wouldn't be a linky party with YOU!
(IMPORTANT NOTE: by linking up you understand that you might be featured next month and if so, we will use some of your photos from your post - rest assured - we will always link back to your lovely blog.  We might also share your fantastic posts on social media.  Also, you may link up as many family-friendly posts as you like & YES - other blog hops &/or giveaways are welcome {giveaways and blog hops will NOT be featured though}  Thank You & ENJOY! )

___________________________________________________________________

Old Fashioned Sunday Hymn Sing #154

Welcome to the 154th Old Fashioned Sunday Hymn Sing!

I miss the old hymns that I remember from my childhood - there were no drums, no electric guitar and no mind numbing beat. It was just voices and maybe a piano or an organ. The choir led the congregation in singing - and the words of these hymns are poetic. I realize that there is a need for the modern "seeker oriented" worship music - but it is also necessary to have deeper songs (no offense intended to anyone who prefers the newer church songs).

I decided to have an "Old Fashion Sunday Hymn Sing" once a month on this blog.

I personally do NOT have a great singing voice - I used to play the guitar & piano but my voice is NOT an instrument. That's the great thing about this digital hymn sing, you can warble along without being embarrassed or without offending anyone else.

The hymns that we will be studying are taken from an old hymnal from a Baptist church that is no longer in existence - "The North American Hymnal" published in 1956 by "THE ROGER WILLIAMS PRESS"

I will also try to find a version of the featured hymn on "YouTube" to share with you each month.

Today's featured hymn is "There Is a Land of Pure Delight" and the author is Isaac Watts.  This author had more than 800 hymns published.  He started writing at the age of seven. Some consider him to be the greatest among hymn-writers.

The author said that his inspiration for this hymn came from 

Hebrews 11:16:

"Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them."

We are actually studying Hebrews chapter 11 in a series called "By Your Faith" - below are the 6 parts so far (many more parts to come):

#1 Jesus' Miracles

#2 Ye of Little Faith

#3 Faith, Deeds & Waiting

#4 Being Sure of What We Do Not See

#5 - Abel

#6 - Enoch

I have included two videos of this hymn (after the lyrics below).  The second video is a more modern version of this song.

Enjoy!

Turn with me to number 538 in your hymnals and let's sing:

There Is a Land of Pure Delight

written by Isaac Watts (1674-1748) & composed by George F. Root (1820-1895)

1. There is a land of pure delight, Where saints immortal reign;  Infinite day excludes the night, And pleasures banish pain.  There everlasting spring abides, And never withering flowers;  Death, like a narrow sea, divides This heavenly land from ours.

2.  Sweet fields beyond the swelling flood Stand dressed in living green;  Soto the Jews old Canaan stood, While JOrdan rolled between.  But timorous mortals start and shrink, To cross this narrow sea;  And linger, shivering on the brink, And fear to launch away.

3.  O could we make our doubts remove, Those gloomy doubts that rise, And see the Canaan that we love With unbeclouded eyes;  Could we but climb where Moses stood, And view the landscape o'er, Not Jordan's stream, nor death's cold flood, Should fright us from the shore.

A special thanks to "Dearest Home - Topic" for sharing this with us!

A special thanks to "tranceseraph" for sharing this with us!

Other Hymns on this blog:

Master, The Tempest Is Raging

Majestic Sweetness Sits Enthroned

Sweet the Moments, Rich in Blessing

Spirit Divine, Attend Our Prayer

Behold A Stranger At The Door

Holy Bible, Book Divine

O Jesus, I Have Promised

Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken

Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me

Where He Leads Me

We Gather Together To Ask The Lord's Blessing

Copyright, Permissions& Disclaimer

Linked to:

_____________________________________________________________________

You might be interested in watching this video:

click HERE to view

"Jesus Is........ THE BREAD OF LIFE"

Wonderful Heirloom Tomatoes 2026

 

Wonderful Heirloom Tomatoes 2026

Every garden season we try to grow a few different heirloom tomato varieties.  Last year we grew:

Tiny Teaspoon & Green Striped Tomatoes

(click HERE to veiw "Unique Tomatoes:  Tiny Teaspoon & Green Striped")

I would like to feature 6 of the varieties that we grew this year:

All photos were taken by me (Angie Ouellette-Tower) and the tomatoes were grown in my garden.
© (2026)

1.  Plum Lemon Tomato (this is a paste type tomato which I love because it is more meaty) (click HERE to buy this variety for your garden next year)

2.  Thai Pink Egg Tomato (I really enjoyed this variety and will probably grow it again) (click HERE to buy this variety for your garden next year)

3.  Yellow Pear Tomato (one of my favorites - not too small and deliciously sweet without being too acidic) (click HERE to buy this variety for your garden next year)

4.  Watermelon Beefsteak Tomato (This tomato is in the bottom right corner of the picture above) (click HERE to buy this variety for your garden next year)

5.  Peach Tomato (This tomato is the top right in the basket below - see picture below) (There was an heirloom seed stand at our hardware store this year and that is where we bought this packet)

6.  Alice's Dream (This massive multicolored tomato was fun to grow - it's the large one in the picture above and below) (This variety is from "Baker's Creek" Seeds)

(if you would like to look at all of the heirloom tomato varieties available at "Mary's Heirloom Seeds" then click HERE)

Tomato Recipes:

(click HERE to view "15 Favorites - TOMATOES")

ENJOY!

Copyright, Permissions & Disclaimer




Linked to:

Senior Salon Pit Stop

Thursday Favorite Things

You're the STAR

Weekend Traffic Jam Reboot

_____________________________________________________________________

You might be interested in viewing this video:

click HERE to view

"Caramel Apple Muffins RECIPE"

Tuesdays with a Twist #705

Welcome to Tuesdays with a Twist #705!

ENJOY!

Before we get to the blog hop today - 

During the month of October, I will be featuring a sweet potato post from the past:

Sweet Potato Cheesecake

 

Checkout wonderful seeds at Mary's Heirloom Seeds 

click HERE to shop for the best seeds

Or click picture below:

_____________________________________________________________

Also, checkout one of my Bags/Purses available at Zazzle:

Evening Sun Mix Sunflower Tote Bag
by GodsGrowingGarden

_____________________________________________________________

Good Morning and Welcome to another No Rules Party!

Angie @ God's Growing Garden

My Features this Week are:

1. "Ethyl M Chocolates Botanical Cactus Garden" by Blue Collar Travel Adventures

2. "4 Ingredient Quinoa Bagels" by Gluten Free A-Z Blog

3. "Thankful Grateful Blessed" by Road Gypsies

If you've been featured I'd love for you to grab a button.

The party starts every Tuesday at 7am EST and will continue until Saturday at 11:59pm.  Feel free to stop back any time and "like" your favorites.  Please visit other blogs if you have a moment. 

Share older posts as well as new ones.  No limit on links!

*Pictures should be your own* 

By linking up you give us permission to use these photos

 (with proper link backs) in our features.   And now for the party!

_________________________________________
Grow your own!
Many wonderful garden products from
 "Mary's Heirloom Seeds"!!
click to view

You're the STAR - Week#4 HOME (October 2026)

Last week we had beautiful cool Autumn weather and this week we will be warm- in the middle 70s (still beautiful of course), 

Thank you again for joining us!

There are many ways to follow me:

Angie @ God's Growing Garden

blog  |  TruthSocial  |  facebook  |  pinterest  |  twitter  |  zazzle  |  RUMBLE

___________________________________________________________________

Before we continue onto the Linky party I wanted to share from my blog:

It's Harvest Time!  (Harvest Bible verses)

 

WELCOME to Week#4 of the October 2026 "You're the Star" Blog Hop!

___________________________

WELCOME to HOME feature week of the October 2026 "You're the STAR" blog hop!

Meet your hosts

 
This week is HOME feature week
Swing by the hosts' Blogs:

Lisa @ At Home With Lisa

Kris @ Kris and Larry . com

Angie @ God's Growing Garden

Colleen @ Butterfly in the Attic

Michelle @ Moms Are Frugal

This is a month long Linky party featuring YOU!

There will be 4 different features each week and 4 different feature categories.  Just to be clear - this is NOT a themed party - you may link up ANY family-friendly blog posts any day of each month. 
The "theme" occurs in our weekly features:
WEEK#4 HOME - recipes, home décor, antique/DIY &/or travel (this can include anything about your home - even history posts - all while remaining family friendly)

(All features were chosen from the September 2026 "You're the Star" blog hop)

Simply Grand Recipes - Apples, Apples, Apples! by Our Grand Lives

Autumn Elegance Living Room Hutch by Debbie-Dabble Blog

Saffron Seafood Paella with Chorizo by Esme Salon

Honey Apple Roasted Mini Pumpkins by Cindy's On-Line Recipe Box

If you've been featured then please grab a STAR button below:

*******************************************************

*******************************************************

All Hosts/CoHosts will post this blog hop on every Monday of each week.

Please link up your family friendly blog posts below!

It wouldn't be a linky party with YOU!

(IMPORTANT NOTE: by linking up you understand that you might be featured next month and if so, we will use some of your photos from your post - rest assured - we will always link back to your lovely blog.  We might also share your fantastic posts on social media.  Also, you may link up as many family-friendly posts as you like & YES - other blog hops &/or giveaways are welcome {giveaways and blog hops will NOT be featured though}  Thank You & ENJOY! )

___________________________________________________________________

Jesus' Parables #3 - New/Old Cloth & New/Old Wine

Jesus' Parables #3 - New Cloth on Old Garment/ New Wine in Old Wineskin

This is the third part in the "Jesus' Parables" series (we previously studied six parables on this blog years ago but that was before I decided to make this into a series).  In this series we will be studying all of Jesus' parables.  

Today we will be learning about a parable that Jesus explained in two different ways (both with the same lesson/meaning):   "New Cloth on Old Garment" parable in Luke 5:36 and "New Wine in Old Wineskin" parable in Luke 5:37-39.

Just as a reminder:

Before we get to the featured lesson, we need to read the few verses before the parable to understand what was going on at that moment.

"The Pharisees and the teachers of the law said to him, 'John's disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking.'  Jesus answered, 'Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while he is with them?  But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them;  in those days they will fast."

Luke 5:33-35

As usual, the Pharisees were trying to find something about Jesus that they could complain about.  They noticed that Jesus' disciples were eating instead of fasting - they noticed that they were not following the regular religious practices.  (see Scripture passages below):

If you do not sew then the old/new fabric analogy might not make sense.  Think about an old shirt or sweater that you find extremely comfortable.  It has stretched to fit your body shape perfectly.  Let's say that one of the elbow's has a hole and you decide to sew a patch using a piece of brand new cotton fabric.  That new piece will be very tight and stiff.  Probably the first needle puncture into the old garment will make the tear worse but let's say that you are actually able to sew the new patch on without making the initial hole worse.  Once you put that repaired sweater on and start moving around will cause that tight patch to tear the old fabric on all 4 sides of the patch.  This type of repair will just not work.

Then there is the wineskin analogy.  Wineskins were kind of like bottles but made out of leather or animal rawhide (usually goat).  I'm sure that you have seen pictures of these wineskins - they were usually kidney shaped.  Anyway, old wineskins would become brittle and since new wine is still very active in fermentation (still expanding) - it would need a new, stretchable leather.

Both of these parables have the same two lessons:

1.  The Pharisees were trying to fit the New Covenant (the saving grace of Jesus Christ available to ANYONE who believes) into their old religion with all of their old rituals.

2. The disciples were not yet ready for the full gospel because they did not understand that Jesus was going to have to die for their sins on the cross and that He would be raised again on the third day.  They also did not yet have the Holy Spirit.  Their "old wineskin" understanding could not handle the new message of Jesus Christ at that time. 

Last year we studied the 7 Covenants.  Below is a verse from Hebrews explaining that the new covenant is replacing (now has replaced) the old one:

(click HERE to read "7 Covenants -#7 NEW")

Let's try not to fit the truth of Jesus Christ into our old religious dogma.

__________________________________________

Here is a list of the parables that we have already studied:

(Please click on each link to read each post)

- The Wicked Husbandmen/Vinedressers (aka Parable of the Tenants)

- The Persistent Widow (or Unjust Judge)

- PARABLE OF THE VINE (part#1) - "The True Vine & the Father Gardener"

- PARABLE OF THE VINE (part#2) - "Be a Fruitful Branch Instead of a Withering Branch"
- PARABLE OF THE VINE (part#3) - "Producing Joyful Fruit - God's Love Remains Forever"
- PARABLE OF THE VINE (part#4) - "Everlasting Fruit & Everlasting Friends"
- The Prodigal Son (Part#1) - The Son Who Ran Away
- The Prodigal Son (Part#2) - The Son Who Stayed Home
- The Good Samaritan (Part#1) - Love God First
- The Good Samaritan (Part#2) - Love Others
- PARABLE of the Sower (Part#1) - Along the Pathway
- PARABLE of the Sower (Part#2) - On Rocky Places
- PARABLE of the Sower (Part#3) - Seeds Among Thorns

- PARABLE of the Sower (Part#4) - Sown on Good Soil

- The Good Shepherd

__________________________________________

Below is a list of the parables that we will be studying in the future: 

- The Lost Sheep

- The Lost Piece of Money

- The Pharisee & the Tax Collector

- The Wedding Banquet

- The Two Sons

- The Friend at Midnight

- The Barren Fig Tree

- The Growing Seed

- The Laborers in the Vineyard

- The Wise and Foolish Builders

- The Two Debtors

- The Ten Virgins

- The Weeds

- The Mustard Seed

- The Leaven (or Yeast)

- The Hidden Treasure

- The Pearl of Great Price

- The Draw-Net

- The Unprofitable Servants

- The Unjust Steward (or Shrewd Manager)

- The Unmerciful Servant

- The Great Feast

- The Rich Man & Lazarus

- The Strait Gate (or Narrow Door)

- Christ The Door

- The Talents (or Bags of Gold)

- The Pounds (or Ten Minas)

- The Sheep and the Goats

- The Tower Builder & the King at War

- The Lamp Under a Basket

- The Doorkeeper

Copyright, Permissions & Disclaimer

Linked to:

Senior Salon Pit Stop

Thursday Favorite Things

You're the STAR

Weekend Traffic Jam Reboot

_____________________________________________________________________

You might be interested in viewing this video:

click HERE to view

"Prayer Basics & 8 Ways To Find Answers"