I recently was listening to this devotion type thing and in a particular segment the person was talking about a blue ribbon grown tomato and how the person that grew it was asked how he did so. It was at this point that I found out I'm not the only one that can hear something as simple as how a blue ribbon tomato was grown and take it somewhere else that has nothing else to do with the subject. I'll get to where they went but first I'll take you to where my brain went (I save their point last because they always say save the best for last and their point is much better). I got thinking how you plant a seed and then I got thinking how seeds get planted in us...not literal seeds but seeds of faith, encouragement, discouragement, etc. I'm going to focus for a bit on the faith one. Oftentimes one may not realize when a seed is planted and sometimes I wonder when it comes to the faith one that people get impatient with how fast or much another persons seed of faith is growing or seemingly not to the person watching the seed grow. Without purposefully meaning to it can be easy to come along and pile more dirt on that seed that has been planted with things like you should be at this point in your walk by now or things like that. See you have to plant a seed not to far in the dirt so it can get the light but not to much, get water and be close enough to the service that it can break through the ground but plant roots too. If you pile to much dirt on top of the seed or plant it to deep (maybe it's got ground into the ground farther by, in this scenario words that were said) that seed won't have the energy or ability to grow and break through all of that dirt and thus it dies. We get so caught up on what the seed (person) isn't or what we think they aren't that we miss and don't fully appreciate what that person went through to break through the ground to get to the light so it can continue to grow. Which is a good place to go to what the person was saying in the devotion I was listening to. See the gardener said to grow that blue ribbon tomato he had to do some pruning which meant taking away some of the other tomatoes that were growing on the vine to give that one tomato enough room so it could grow. Sometimes I think we forsake a plant after it starts growing, oh we may water it every now and then but forget the important step of pruning and also oftentimes painful (when a person has to prune some things out of their life). At the time it doesn't look like it will help or make a difference but in due time it can be seen how much it did. Ultimately it's up to us how much we grow and to do the pruning but sometimes like the plant needs help in the gardener removing the dead leaves, or making sure the plant is getting enough light, sometimes we need help be it an encouraging word, prayer or what have you. Sometimes we get to much dirt piled on us and we don't have the energy to grow to get through to the light. There's a song called Brother by needtobreathe and I like the message of that song because it's saying I'll be there to help you when you need it. And I should probably end it here but I'm going to take it one step further before I really do try to end this. Because you see sometimes it feels like people are so focused on tearing others down or dare I say so worried about clicking share, like and typing amen on that picture on Facebook that we're deserting the seeds in others and ourselves so much so that we could be sitting right beside someone that is so dried up and all they need is a drop of water to remind them that they do matter, they are important, that those lies that say otherwise and are trying to further bury them are just that lies, piles of dirt to try to prevent you from seeing that. You ain't got to be a big shot or have lots of money to help people. Have we forgotten what an impact it is to just be there, just taking a walk with someone or sitting on the porch (or in the house if you ain't big on being outside)...my point is you don't have to speak eloquently or say a lot or do expensive things together to make a difference to help that seed grow. I'll give you an example, there's a page I follow on Facebook and they wrote something that really hit home with me, part of it did anyway, and I kept thinking I needed to message this person and thank them for being honest in their struggles and in helping remind me that it's all going to be okay. That's not to toot my own horn because you see I got way more out of it then I imagine that person did because what they said in their reply meant so very much. It was a drop water, a ray of light, right when I needed it most. So instead of worrying about how many times you hit like, type amen or share that picture, because I promise you God ain't keeping a tally of it and it ain't proving or helping your faith grow...no you want to do that how about you pray for those around you and for things going on in the world, how about you tell someone how important they are (you never know it could be the life saving drop of water that beautiful flower may need), when you see someone trying to prune some things out of their life don't say well I'd do it this way or something like that encourage them because pruning can be a tedious, difficult thing to get through. I reckon I've said enough...maybe even to much but with this I'll step off of my soap box. Maybe next time I'll get to my other thoughts.
I almost forgot to mention the annual Winter Jam. As always it was a great time spent with friends and hearing some great music. We got some great seats but I'll let my pictures do the talking. And it really will be the end of this with the pictures.
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