Author: Wendy

Gardenia Lessons

Posted on by Wendy
Seek and you will find.

 

I recently left a mason jar of gardenias on the kitchen counter. Mama was enchanted when she saw them and wanted to know where I had picked them. When I told her they came from the bush in front of the barn, she commented that she was surprised such perfectly formed flowers had come from that bush.

She planted it many years ago in an effort to spruce up the barn, but with the inability to get water to it, she eventually left it to fend for itself. It’s in a tough spot to bloom. There are briars and vines everywhere. Daddy cuts the briars out of it every now and then, but for the most part, it’s on its own.

One of my favorite things to do in the summer time has always been to pick flowers and bring some of God’s handiwork indoors to enjoy. This current season that I find myself walking through, has me being very intentional about seeking and focusing on the beauty around me, so when I saw that particular gardenia blooming, I went to investigate further.

Honestly, the fact that it was surrounded by overgrowth, fire ant beds and some questionable holes, made it all the more enticing. “Seek and you will find;” was a verse that kept running through my head.  My perseverance paid off. The bush was covered with blooms and buds and I snipped away enjoying the bonus of the intoxicatingly sweet smell of those pristine white blossoms.

When I returned from being out of town for a couple of days, Mama had put together her own arrangement  of fresh blooms in the kitchen as well as  a mason jar of them for me. I smiled.

My intentional search for beauty had encouraged her to do the same.

Later, as I sat admiring those flowers and God’s excellent craftmanship, (I mean, beauty and scent that comes from dirt!), I was reminded that our faith walk is also a call to intentionally seek His beauty, His will and His voice.  Just like those gardenias, when we seek Him, we will find Him and when we find Him, if we are brave enough to share, the people around us will naturally do the same.

An old gardenia bush reminded me that when we are willing to seek and share, we are often rewarded with more than we give. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

A Call to Plant

Posted on by Wendy
What we plant can last long after we are gone.

 

In the spring of 2023, my hubby and I planted some sweet potato vines that I picked up at Lowes. I knew absolutely nothing about growing sweet potatoes. We picked one of our raised beds to plant them in and hoped for the best. The vines spread out, but our trusty guide, the internet, said that it wouldn’t be time to harvest them until the fall.

The tricky thing about potatoes is they grow underground, so you really don’t know what’s going on. We waited patiently to harvest them, but unfortunately, some deer beat us to it. When we went to check on them one day, the vines had been eaten, the dirt was dug up and there was nothing left but  six scrawny potatoes.

I wrapped them in some newspaper to cure them, put them in the barn and forgot about them. When I found them the following spring, they had little sprouts on them. I was going to toss them, but my hubby assured me that the sprouts were even better to plant than the vines. We picked a different bed;  he took out his pocket knife and cut off each little sprout and we planted them.

We had finally installed a fence to keep the deer out and the vines went wild. I had to cut them several times to keep them from taking over the garden. When all of the other vegetables were done for the season, those vines kept growing into the fall. I kept trimming them and waiting for them to turn yellow to harvest them.

Some time after my hubby passed that October, I was mindlessly wandering through the garden. When I got to the bed of sweet potatoes, I found the vines were still green, but upon closer inspection, I could see a potato just grazing the surface. I reached in and gently dug it out.

I was shocked to find a large, fully formed, sweet potato. I began to feel around the bed and to my surprise, found many more. I dug a few and then went to show my Daddy. He excitedly got a hoe and dug more.  In the end, we probably had 50 or so sweet potatoes that all came from those shriveled up few that the deer left behind.

Needless to say, they were the best sweet potatoes any of us could remember eating. We shared them with friends. We ate them for Thanksgiving. We ate them for Christmas and we still had more

I knew even then, there was a lesson in the amazing bounty that came from what seemed like useless trash that my hubby saw potential in planting. There was also a faith lesson in trusting that growth is going on even when you can’t see it.  But, the most significant lesson for me was that he was no longer here, yet what he planted was still feeding us and I knew in a larger sense, it always would.

It was a beautiful reminder that we are all in the seed planting business. While we often don’t get to see the fruit of many of the seeds we plant, we can rest assured that in God’s hands nothing is wasted and sometimes what we plant will even lead to a bounty that will feed many generations to come. After all, all things are possible with God.

Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

A Message from a Zinnia

Posted on by Wendy
When the days are dark and chaotic, a little light can make all of the difference.

 

It’s been raining and overcast for days and days here in the Peach State. While I’m sure that we will be praying for some of this rain in July and August, right now, in late May, my garden has had too much. I’m losing some tomatoes to blossom end rot and fighting with some pests that come from everything staying wet. What we really need is some sunshine.

Then, there’s my mood. My sincere condolences go out to folks who live in places that don’t get much sun. For me, long stretches of gray skies make this glass half-full girl convert to a bit of a grouch. I always find so many God glimpses in my garden, little bits of encouragement that I like to pass on, but when there’s non-stop rain, they are harder to see.

Yesterday, as I trudged through the tall wet grass, that needs mowing if it ever get dry enough, I spied a bright pink zinnia, standing tall among the climbing bean vines. I rushed right over for a closer look. Although I have planted zinnias all over the garden. I didn’t plant that one and I have marveled at its tenacity as it fought for light against some very aggressive vines. Its perseverance had at last paid off and and its bright pink petals beckoned like a light house amongst all of the green foliage and against the dreary gray sky.

I’m not sure how it was able to succeed where it was or how it could bloom with so little sun, yet there it was and its bright pink petals made me smile. I felt my half-empty glass begin to fill as I snapped a photo.

While I don’t think most of us can agree on much of anything these days; we can agree that those dark skies reflect that we are living in some dark times. Most people seem to stay on the edge of angry, fearful and upset. It can even feel pointless to try to shine the light of Christ into a world that seems so hostile to the message, but perhaps we should ask ourselves, are the days any darker than when Jesus, himself shared the Good News?

I suppose every generation in some way believes that they hold the claim to greatest challenges, so I guess that doesn’t make us any different. What I know for certain, is that God still holds everything in His hands and with that knowledge I feel called to join that bright pink zinnia and point boldly to heaven.

A lone zinnia reminded me to shine my light even when the days are dark. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

In Awe of God’s Planning

Posted on by Wendy
God is ALWAYS at work!

 

Back in the early spring, I spied a flower in my compost pile. It was an anemone. They grow from something called corms which look like a tiny octopus. When I decided to plant them a couple of years ago, I took great care in following directions to make them sprout. I soaked them in water overnight and planted them in good rich soil. I bought frost cloth to cover them when the temps dipped below freezing.

It had been a long hard winter for me resulting from deep grief. I hadn’t posted anything on social media in months, but when that anemone caught my eye, in the middle of all of the thrown away material, I was mesmerized. I hadn’t done anything to protect it or encourage it’s growth. I must have actually pulled it up the summer before when it got too hot for them to bloom and tossed it in the compost pile.

All of the literature said they wouldn’t bloom the next year, but it turns out that God is not confined by conventional wisdom.

I felt led to post it, but I found myself not writing a long reflection to post as I would have in the past, but instead a photo with a caption, that read, “And then sometimes when you least expect it, new life and fresh hope appear.”

I hoped that the few words of encouragement that I felt God speaking to me would encourage someone else who needed to read them.

At the time, it was all I had to give.

A few days later, James, an old friend from middle school who grew up to be a pastor, messaged me on Facebook. He told me that the flower might make a good “Graceful Gaines,” devotion. He basically went on to say that people are in desperate need of encouragement these days. I thanked him for his kind words.

I gave a lot of thought to his message over the next few weeks. Sometimes, it really blows my mind when I think about God’s planning. I remember sitting at a table in homeroom with James talking about the pencil and paper cart and I don’t think I have seen him since. Yet, God reconnected us on Facebook a few years back when he and his wife were at a church in south Georgia.

God knew when I was in 7th grade, over 40 years ago, that He was going to grow that boy into a pastor. God knew  then that He would plant in me a seed for writing and sharing glimpses of Him to encourage others.  God even knew then, that I would now be suffering from loss and He knew then that He was going to make that flower grow to catch my attention. God knew then that He would use a social media platform that hadn’t even been invented yet, for that boy from my homeroom class to reach out and encourage me.

I find it both awe inspiring and humbling when I look back and see that God has always held me in His hands, even when I was completely unaware of His presence. A message from a childhood friend reminded me that God is truly always at work. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Encouragement for the Climb

Posted on by Wendy
Keep going! The views will be worth the climb.

 

On a recent trip to Yosemite National Park, my daughter and I hiked to the top of Vernal Falls. My sister told me ahead of time that the view from the top was breathtaking and that we couldn’t miss it. She had hiked it several times before and she assured us it was well worth the climb. The travel books called it a moderate hike and I’m in fairly decent shape, so I wasn’t concerned.

It wasn’t long into our climb when it occurred to me that my sister was in her early 20’s when she climbed to the top, and I am in my 50’s, but we kept going. It also wasn’t long into our climb when I wondered who the person was who decided it was a moderate hike. I mean, it was almost like a ladder at certain spots, but we kept going.

At one point, the people around us stopped to put on raincoats and ponchos and then continued their journey. I began to wonder if this “moderate” hike was truly worth the view. It was cool and we were clearly going to get wet, (which my sister had failed to mention), but we kept going.

Then we got out first views of the rainbows that were created from all of the water that was splashing from the falls. It was amazing and yes, totally worth getting wet to see, but the climb continued.  We would stop and rest and get a drink of water and then we would continue and those fellow travelers on that trail with us did the same. It was an encouraging group with lots of smiles and patience for people moving at all paces. It was as if everyone knew we were all heading to the same spectacular place and the destination would be worth every step of the journey to get there, no matter how long it took.

I’ll have to admit that when we got really close to the top, I seriously considered giving up. The stairs were wet and the climb was vertical. Every landing seemed to lead to more steps. I ended up behind a couple going very slowly. The woman was using a walking stick the man walked close behind her encouraging her. Almost every step, he said to her, “You’ve got this Gail, just one more step.”

I have no idea who they were or what Gail’s story was, but when my daughter, who is in her 20’s,  zipped past them, I walked behind them for a bit. I suspect that that man had no idea how much I appreciated his encouragement or how much I needed to hear it at the time, but by encouraging her, he was also encouraging me.

I asked another traveler how much further and she assured me that we were way to close to stop.

My sister was right. The view at the top was amazing. The climb had been worth every grueling step. We rested for a while in the bright sunshine with all of the other travelers who had made the climb before we headed back down.

That hike reminded me that as Christians, we are all travelers here.  Sometimes the journey can be incredibly difficult. Sometimes we need to stop and rest, but we are called to both encourage one another and to keep going, one step at a time. Because the views where we are going will be spectacular.

Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Tree Wisdom

Posted on by Wendy
This majestic sequoia has been singed by fire, yet it still stands tall and points to God.

 

After the sudden loss of my husband, when my head was still spinning and I barely had the energy to get out of bed, I had a deep urge to go and see the giant sequoias in California. I had always wanted to see them and I had become acutely aware of how short life here on earth can be, but it was more than that.

I felt a persistent nudge to plan to see them on my birthday. It was six months away and it would give me something to look forward to, since at the time, getting out of bed every morning was almost more than I could handle. I mentioned it to a few friends and they encouraged me to go. I mentioned it to my daughter and my sister and they wanted to join me.

My sister said that I really needed to see the waterfalls in Yosemite as well. So, we made a plan including a surprise plane ticket for my mama as a Christmas gift and we went to Yosemite at the end of April.

I obsessed about the weather the week before we left and I asked God to please bless us with sunny days. I literally prayed, “I know this is a stupid prayer, but please bless our trip with good weather.” The weather channel called for rain, but since I worship the God who creates weather, He is in no way confined by a weather forecast and He didn’t find my prayer to be stupid. The weather was excellent.

On our first day, we climbed the mist trail. It was a tough climb. The stairs were steep and wet, but when we arrived at the first lookout where rainbows sprung up everywhere, when the mist met the sun, I began to sob. Six months earlier, the Holy Spirit planted a seed in my broken heart to seek out the wonder in Creation and God met me there to put on a show. The sound of the water crashing was almost deafening and the barrage of rainbows was absolutely glorious.

I could feel His presence and I gave an immediate prayer of thanks for the wonder.

The following day we went to Mariposa Grove. I had wanted to see those ancient sequoias since a social studies lesson in elementary school. There was something spiritual about trees over 1,000 years old, but I knew that those waterfalls would be hard to top.

I was not surprised when God met me in the quiet grove of those mighty trees. He wasn’t loud and splashy, but the majesty was the same. When I gazed at trees that were too big to fit in a camera shot, trees that two people couldn’t join hands and fit around, trees that had been singed by fire, but still stood tall and pointed to God, I felt a deep kinship with them.

They were scarred, yet they still  had a story to tell. I imagine that most of us who have lived long enough, have scars of some sort, but those trees reminded me that as long as we are breathing, God is not finished with us. They reminded me to stand tall and allow our stories to point to Him because in the end, He will work in all things for the good of those who love Him.

Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

 

 

The Ultimate Water

Posted on by Wendy
Wherever we may be on the journey, God will never stop providing what we need to grow.

My hubby and I built raised beds back in the winter. We wanted to try to grow more of our own food and we wanted them to be at a height where my parents could enjoy working in them without having to bend over too far and risk injuring themselves. They still aren’t finished, but we planted anyway. We plan to install drip irrigation and ordered all of the components. Unfortunately, we have not had the time to install it.

But, God has been so good to us during this season of transition and we have had one of the wettest and coolest summers we can remember. We haven’t been required to do too much watering because of all of the rain and yet, we have been blessed with abundance. We have been cutting lettuce and picking cherry tomatoes to eat in our salads all summer. Daddy and I share stories almost daily, of the new growth we witness.

Our latest find has been tiny watermelons. The vines have been all over the place, but they are finally bearing some melons.

Our garden, even unfinished, has been a blessing.

When we have had to water, my Daddy has set up the perfect sprinkler system. He figured out just where to place it to hit most all of the beds without having to readjust much.

Last week, the typical Georgia summer appeared. It’s been dry and we have hit temperatures in the 90’s. As I was walking through the garden a couple of days ago, after work, I was alarmed to see that everything looked wilted, especially the watermelon vines.

Since Daddy had plans for the day, I set out a plan to get everything watered early the next morning. First, I realized I needed a 2nd hose. After I finally got the water going, I found that the boxes in the back weren’t getting water. When I moved the sprinkler, I still found dry spots. But, I was determined to get the much needed water on all of those wilted plants that were depending on me.

As I struggled with the hose, I was reminded that God does the same for us. When we belong to Him and are doing His work, He sends us what we need. Sometimes it’s more encouragement and blessings than we could ever hope for and sometimes we end up feeling a little wilted, but even then, He will keep reaching out to us until we have what we need to continue to grow.

After all, He sent us the ultimate living water, when He sent us Jesus. His love and provision never fails.

My garden reminds me that God will always send us what we need to thrive doing His work and that we will never be truly complete on this side of eternity. That has always been part of the plan. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too!

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

For my regular readers, I apologize for my sporadic posts. I started a new job in June and my husband and I are trying to move. I have not had much white space to write. I hope to be more settled soon!

Living with Prayerful Gratitude

Posted on by Wendy
We should never underestimate the power of prayerful gratitude.

Recently, my hubby and I, let our dogs out to run in their new home. They are used to being in a fenced in yard in a suburb, but now they have many acres in the country. Naturally, they love the freedom. It’s truly a delight to watch them run and usually, they come right back when we call. A few weeks ago, they didn’t.

We were in the middle of a serious renovation project, trying to get it completed by the time my new job started and they went missing. We stopped working and started looking for them and calling. We called and called and at some point, we split up. He went one way and I went the other.

Finally, they came running from where I was calling and I yelled to my husband that I found them.

We went back to work.

Last weekend, we were having our morning coffee and talking about our stress in this current season. We reminded each other that we know that God is with us because of all of the prayer involved in our plans and the affirmations He has continuously sent along the way.

My hubby asked me if I remembered the day when our dogs went missing. Of course I remembered.

He went on to tell me a part of the story that I didn’t know.

He said he went up towards the road to look for our pups fearful that they might have been hit by a car. He ended up in the small orchard of fruit trees that we planted in the fall. He said he stopped to look at them and was amazed at how green and healthy they all were. We planted eight and all were flourishing beyond anything we could have imagined. He said he stopped calling the dogs and said a prayer of thanks.

He said he told God that those thriving fruit trees could have only come from His blessing and humbly admitted that there was nothing in his own power that could have made them thrive the way they have and he thanked Him for providing. He then confessed that he had a lot of work to do and asked God to help us find our dogs.

He said almost immediately, I yelled that I had found them.

As he shared a previously unknown part of the story, my eyes filled with tears. I was reminded that God is always listening even when we don’t think He is. I was reminded of the power of a praying spouse, or friend or any brother or sister in Christ. I was reminded of the power of giving thanks maybe not for all circumstances, but in all circumstances. There is always something to be thankful for.

Our morning discussion gave me the encouragement I needed and reminded me of the power and peace that come from prayerful gratitude. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

Embracing the Journey

Posted on by Wendy
We may not know what the future holds, but we worship the God who does.

This past week has been extra busy for me. My hubby and I are moving back to my hometown to be closer to my parents. My last day at my job was last Friday and I will start a new job in June. We have been cleaning out our house of eighteen plus years which has been bittersweet. My kids grew up in this house and it’s filled with wonderful memories. It was such a blessing to have it when they both were sent home from college due to Covid. We all worked from home that spring and into summer and I’ll have to admit, I will always treasure the extra time I got to spend with them.

But, with two college graduates, our house now feels too big.

My hubby and I have known for some time that we would like to downsize and live more simply. I was flipping through one of my journals a couple of weeks ago and saw that on New Year’s Day 2020, I wrote about wanting to live more simply and have a big garden to help us live more independently.

Honestly, the entry filled me with tears of gratitude. I had forgotten all about the little seed that God had planted in my heart well before we had ever even heard of Covid. My desire grew more intensely during the pandemic, but that wasn’t where it was born. I had no idea what was coming, but God did and He was busy preparing.

I had no idea that the sleepy little rural town where we raised our kiddos would be overrun with growth due to the pandemic or that builders from out of town would aspire to build a house on every available strip of grass, but God knew. He knew about the extra traffic. He knew we would be ready for a slower pace and He prepared a way.

I had no idea that my hubby and I would both feel called to move and to start our next chapter in a new town, but God knew and He prepared both of our hearts.

It’s hard not to be a little nostalgic as I sort through old boxes filled with toys and my children’s art. I am so very thankful for God’s blessings on our story up until this point, but since He has called us somewhere else, my faith tells me that He is still working and writing new chapters for us. My job is to pray, trust, listen and follow His lead.

My Daddy has helped us plant the big garden I wrote about three years ago. We already have tiny tomatoes and squash. Daddy grew up farming and his skills are really appreciated now. God was preparing him too.

I pray for the new family who will live in this house. I pray that they will make beautiful memories and when I am tempted to look backwards instead of forwards, I pray that God will remind me that we are all travelers here and that as long as I am on this side of eternity, my story is still in progress and so is yours. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂