God can use every bit of our stories.
My Daddy grew up farming. He was one of eight children and they barely got by. I’ve often heard him tell stories of the hard work he and his siblings did, out in the hot Georgia sun, plowing the fields with a mule. They ended up moving into town when he was in high school and his farming days were behind him. He joined the Navy and went on to follow several different career paths.
I suspect if you would have asked him when he was growing up if he ever had any intention of farming again, he would have laughed. Yet, he has always loved to grow things. He grows tomatoes every summer. I’ve seen him grow everything from figs and strawberries to cabbage and blueberries and always successfully.
Recently, my hubby and I wanted to plant some fruit trees. We planted in the fall when they all looked like sticks. There was no sign of life. Daddy told us how to plant them and how important it was to put straw around them. He warned us about the deer and while we knew he was right, we thought we had more time. We were wrong. The deer ate the very first leaf off of one of our fledgling apple trees. We heeded his advice and put some wire around them to protect them. He added pie pans to make noise in the wind.
The deer have left them alone.
When he asked me if we wanted him to fertilize them, I told him I would defer to his knowledge. He went ahead and fertilized them.
Last weekend, after a cold snap, I was delighted to see that our little orchard, which several months ago, showed no sign of life, was teeming with leaves and I was so very thankful for his guidance.
He told me that we could plant our tomatoes after Good Friday. I have no doubt, they too, will flourish.
I often marvel at how God uses our life experiences to help guide others along the way.
Daddy didn’t know it at the time, but he was learning valuable lessons in that Georgia heat of his youth, lessons that he now can pass on to his children and grandchildren.
In God’s economy, nothing is wasted.
So, take heart my friend. Whatever circumstance or situation that you find yourself in today, whether good or bad, exciting or mundane, beautiful or incredibly ugly, put it in God’s hands and let Him use it. In His hands we can find restoration, redemption and a peace that passeth all understanding. Some thriving fruit trees reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.
Have an awesome day!
Wendy 😊