Don’t Miss the Sprouts
A few weeks ago, while at Wal-Mart, my little guy and I picked up some flowers seeds from Wal-Mart. We both get really excited about buying seeds, imagining all the beautiful life and color that will grow from them. Jordan loves to pick out a range of wonderfully colored flowers and tries to find something that everyone in the family can appreciate. This includes finding flowers in a range of colors to fulfill everyone’s favorites. (This year, we even found green zinnias for me!)
I, on the other hand, have unpleasant recollections of many, many years of failed attempts at this. (I’ve been a Mom for 16 years!) But nonetheless, I continue to try.
I always put the little bugers in Miracle Grow and baby them inside. This year however, Jordan had other plans. So I tilled a patch of dirt in the flower bed and before I could ‘guide’ him on the official techniques of ‘seed sowing’ (straight from the OCD handbook) all four pouches of seeds were empty and all the little seeds were presented to the world – in no particular fashion.
I was not happy about this! It was all too ‘hap-hazard’!
If, after all the years of babying and nurturing our little seeds, we had not managed to produce any healthy plants, how on Earth were they going to grow like this?
I collected myself and focused on my child’s initiative and eagerness to make something grow! We covered the little seeds with some Miracle Grow, watered them thoroughly and put a piece of glass over them to ‘protect’ them.
After about a week, I started watching for the little buds to show, but nothing. After two weeks, I began my rhetoric of ‘I knew it’ and proceeded to devise all the excuses I could offer Jordan if and when his little flowers didn’t make an appearance.
After some time had passed with little hope of life, I removed the glass to let the little seeds soak up some of the rain that we’ve been getting. (And getting…and getting…)
At this point, I was simply trying to not stress these silly little plants! After all, I had more important things to worry about!
On Tuesday, I had a particularly excruciating time getting my oldest son to the bus and to my dismay, we did in fact miss it and have to chase him through town. (Not one of my best moments, but sadly, a reoccurring one!) So, after fighting the mud and pathetically sliding the length of my yard once, I had parked along the side of the house [on the road] instead.
A bit later, although bright and early as usual, Jordan and I headed out of the house. Gloomy, dismal fog filled the air around us and the incessant chill was more akin to that of late Fall rather than Spring. Still, not my ideal morning!
Amidst my aggravation, I happened to stop for a moment to look down and examine our little ‘flower bed’…
What did I see?
Lots and lots of little green sprouts! All over the place. The more I inspected the scene, the more I saw!
What did I learn?
No matter how bad our day seems to be…no matter what direction life seems to be headed [whether it be a particular task, a day, a week, or longer] God always has little seeds He’s sown into our lives. And unlike my 4-year old, He’s used much care and precision in His planting methods! His timing may not be our timing. His direction may differ from ours. We need to remember however, to trust Him even when the outcome seems dead and lifeless. There are always endless possibilities, broadened horizons, lessons learned, exciting dreams, newfound hope, excitement, joy … new growth to take pleasure in!
Look among the nations! Observe! Be astonished! Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days– You would not believe if you were told. [Habakkuk 1:5]
Is anything too difficult for the LORD? … [Genesis 18:14]
