After my house warming several years ago, I received a very cool bowl that depending on the activity I'm hosting it is placed throughout the house.
Most of the time the bowl is used to house potpourri but earlier this year I started dumping wine corks in the bowl. After some months and many parties later the bowl is full.
I never really paid much attention to why I was so persistence about making sure we didn't throw any cork away, even if we could only save half a cork I would still just throw it in the bowl. Now that the bowl is full I couldn't believe that my kids wanted to throw all the corks away; "really"? Their chief compliant was the corks didn’t serve a purpose.
Well, every Saturday I'm at CNN radio and every time I get there I'm rushing to get to the 19th floor but because of an approaching holiday we prerecorded the show during the weekday. On this day I wasn't in a hurry and noticed an over sized glass container that sits on the lobby check-in desk. I suppose I never noticed it before because it had been hidden by the sign in front of it that encouraged visitors to contribute wine corks. For every cork donated money is contributed for cancer treatments and in addition the corks are recycled.
I must admit that my heart smiled as I emptied my bag into the glass container. My contribution actually filled it to the top. Last year this time the doctors told my family and me that my father wouldn't make it through the weekend. His cancer treatments had produced detrimental results but through God's grace he's still here. So knowing all too well the emotional and financial cost of cancer I recognize that my very minimal contribution of hundreds of corks didn’t amount to the cost of a pack of seeds. However, I believe that one of the most important objectives as a Christian is "to love your neighbor as you love yourself ". Love is an action and every action is a seed. Contingent on the number of seeds you plant, your life's garden can be beautiful and filled with an unlimited number of blossoms or on the other hand it can be desolate place.
Every seed planted has an opportunity to grow. A mustard seed is the smallest seed available but in the bible it is referred to as the greatest amongst herb consequently even the smallest action can create the most impactful result.
What kind of seeds are you planting? How does your garden grow?
What an incredible post! In many ways this story is about the intricacies of our interwoven lives that, sadly, most of us have not experienced. Your example of the mustard seed is brilliant in that it gives light to things often overlooked that are vying for our attention, if only for one moment that could have a lasting impact on our place in this material world.
ReplyDeleteGod is such a teacher in that He provides us all the resources in abundance, that we need to live fruitful and reciprocal lives. From a simple process of planting a seed, giving it water, and ample sunlight, a flower grows and germinates into something functional, or aesthetically pleasing. Imagine that. Life runs parallel to that simple process, yet we has human beings, with cognition and reason, often fall short of the grace of this moment.
Just as the rings on a tree's trunk are layered, so too are our lives. And, each represents a milestone that further defines the dichotomies that we face throughout the growing process. The functional parts of a flower are its pistil, stamen, and the pollen it produces. In human life, there's the female, male, and offspring. The difference in the flower and humans lies in the concept of sharing. The flower, unconditionally passes on parts of itself to be used for energy sources, food for others, and to perpetuate itself. Humans, on the other hand, set forth conditions by which they will share parts of themselves.
The lesson learned is that if we are to continue walking among a garden by which we've come, we must be more like the flower that precedeth us.
Bruce Baker
Writer
http://www.examiner.com/x-44674-Natural-Health-Examiner
The seeds I've been planting and have continued to cultivate year after year have turned into the most glorious of beautiful art works, posts like these, and willingness to develop deeper "perceptions" as what was discovered
ReplyDeleteThis makes my heart sing
With love and appreciation
Sian Lindemann
Executive Director
Sian Design
God ALWAYS 'WOWS' me. This is another one of those times I said "WOW". Isn't it amazing how he orchestrates things; he repeatedly SHOWS us and we still lack faith.
ReplyDeleteCatherine, Thank You for sharing this. Insightful, Thoughtful. Beautiful.
HAWK
Hawk, and Sian, you both are dead on with your take on this. Sian, you above all should know the value of planting seeds as evidence by all the flowers that have bloomed by your kindness and brilliance.
ReplyDeleteTo address the similarities in collections, I too saved emptied expensive beverage bottles for years. I even refilled with a food color likeness to mimic it's pre opened state. When it became time to move to a new location, my spouse said he refused to transport the weight of the "replicas". My collection didn't go on to support/benefit a cause, they were just tossed and never thought of again. I guess it was my way of not wanting to discard the evidence of joyous times shared with friends and family. However, your collection being the complete opposite, was proven to be a worth while use of time, admiration and benefit of a worthy cause.
ReplyDeleteI don't know why we're driven to do some things for long periods of time. Often seemingly meaningless. Most may be lessons, a tool for improving patience and dedication or simply what we were a chosen part of in Gods direction for us.
I have a niece that sows seeds everywhere. To the point of her very own financial demise and disgrace at the lack of reciprocation. I've told her, in my view of "sowing" it does'nt take her entire package of seeds to produce a successful harvest. Giving from the heart at any degree is much more gratifying than a monetary or otherwise physical gain.
I currently sow seeds of knowledge to anyone that can benefit from my experiences as a teen head of household at the age of 15.
I survived it and with your contribution of the corks, it aided in giving others hope for a better day.
LeCheeky, thanks for posting. Your comments are so profound, so heartfelt, so real. I've learned more about you, the person, today. Thanks for commenting, and keeping the connection. You're a survivor in many ways. I salute you and your kindred spirit.
ReplyDeleteWow! What a poignant illustration of the principals of "seedtime and harvest." The most powerful seeds are our everyday spoken words...whether they are over our own lives or others. I love how the dipiction of "flowers in a garden" gave way to a visual hypothetical....Is your garden full of splendor and beautiful flowers from the planted seeds of your actions or is the place where your garden should be barren?
ReplyDeleteThe final question: "What kind of seeds are you planting?" allows for self-introspection. Only the reader can truly answer...
What a beautiful post and many thought provoking comments.
ReplyDeleteEach person, depending on life circumstances, can contribute something.
As a quick aside, because of my present state, I try to pass on knowledge about chronic pain to doctors, (especially pain-in-the butt know-it-all primadonnas - you know who you are!) Physician, educate yourself! lol
Honestly, I believe THE most important seed we all can sow is time and knowledge, especially to children. Spend time and teach them about tolerance; about thinking about others BEFORE themselves; about graciousness and the Number One most important - the value of life!
Too many times in this lifetime I have seen mothers and fathers lose their sons to senseless violence.
Another thing - as a Canadian, I have heard many Americans say they are the most tolerant nation on Earth. But the way I see it, Canada has that one tied up neatly. But you are on your way with this new health care.
Yes, it's flawed. But it is 100% better for 90% of your population. So forget politics and just this once, learn - tolerance. Put yourself in someone else's shoes and be gracious.
So I say I sow the seeds of tolerance :-)
Beautiful and inspiring. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDelete