A jam jar soil experiment | Previous Challenge Entry

how it works

TITLE: A jam jar soil experiment | Previous Challenge Entry
By Melanie Kerr
11/19/15
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Soil – a community of stuff
sand, silt, clay and rotting plants
never in equal percentages

A jam jar soil experiment
reveals the statistics
to show how soils vary
from garden to field to the
Miracle Grow Potting Compost
in the garden centre

a jam jar
filled about a third of the way up with the soil
add clean water

and stir
thoroughly

rest
for one hour
watch as the contents settle
and the water starts to clear.

different layers appear
like a garden sundae
sand, the biggest and heaviest particles fill the bottom
a swirl of silt, smaller than sand next
a dusting of clay, the smallest particles
topped off with discoloured water
decorated with floating organic material not fully rotted.

a measuring tape
to measure the height of each layer
a little maths to work out
the soil texture.
a pie chart for display

Church – a community of believers
the zealous, the pious, the pew-fillers,
the psalm singers, the gossipers
the completely lost and the almost found
never in equal percentages

A crisis-moment church experiment
reveals heart and soul

An affair, perhaps
a change of pastor, maybe
someone caught with their hand in the cookie jar
choice words and stern folding arms

and the enemy stirs
thoroughly

rest
for a month or a year
watch as the contents settle
and things start to clear.

different layers?
like a Sunday sundae
fervent prayer and sound doctrine
a swirl of grace,
a dusting of humility
purify discontent hearts
nothing rotten to float on the surface.

They make Jesus their measuring tape
no height to record
as all sink to their knees
“Lord have mercy on us.”
no maths to work out
and no pie chart
only forgiveness

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