June 2011
Dear Friends,
Last year, we tried to have a garden, but neither Alan nor I could seem to get in the habit of watering and weeding. Even though we were on top of tending to a baby, our little garden was neglected—and yet still, we managed to get some tomatoes, some squash, and even a strawberry or two.
This year is different. We planted strawberries, tomatoes, broccoli, squash, cucumbers, beans… and thanks to Sam and mother’s day, we planted a big fat yellow lily smack in the middle of all that. We still don’t know what we’re doing…but we take great joy in watching the plants grow and change and eventually (hopefully?), we will get some fruits and vegetables. We’ve planted seeds of faith in our little garden… we’ll have to see what takes root.
It’s the same way with our Christian community—we are planting seeds of faith. While of course, our seeds of faith are most often thought of in terms of our children, it’s important to remember that we are planting seeds of faith with anyone that we encounter- no matter their age. Through the way we live and treat others, people come to experience the love of God. Never, ever, underestimate the power of that.
It’s easy to think that you aren’t meant to be a gardener of faith… like us and our little garden from last year, we can get distracted with other important things in our lives… but just like our first year garden, seeds were still germinating and hope was still being planted. Whatever we did do, the plants soaked right up, and God took care of the rest.
A few years ago my uncle had a massive heart attack and was in a coma. My mom went out to Indiana to be with him. She was heavy with grief and so on that Sunday, she managed to find her way to a church. She sat in the pew and cried during the service. She said that slowly but surely, several women came one by one to sit with her, until she was surrounded by people comforting her. She didn’t know them… but she did… because they were her sisters in Christ. My mom is a faithful woman, so seeds of faith had long been planted in her… but she was nurtured and tended to that day and most certainly, new seeds were planted.
Seeds are planted everyday… and some of them bloom into beautiful flowers and fruits and vegetables who then nurture others. So whatever you do, whoever you encounter… do it with love. Do it with God in your heart, and with some awareness that the seeds of faith are being planted. You may not always be around to tend to that seed… but you can trust that God is. I pray that this summer, as you plant and nurture and enjoy your gardens, that you will also do those same things with your relationship with God, and with others.
Pastor Danielle