When I first shared that Little Lady had found and planted some old seeds her Grandmother left behind, I didn’t expect it to become a three-part blog series – but here we are.
In The Parable of the (Little Lady) Sower, I shared how Little Lady planted the seeds, and how they – most unexpectedly – grew.
In The Parable of the (Little Lady) Sower, Part II, I shared how Little Lady and I repotted several seedlings, and how even more seeds germinated.
This morning, I want to share one more important piece of the Parable.
Recently, someone close to me said that when he read about Little Lady planting her Oomah’s seeds, it moved him to tears. It wasn’t just the beauty of a child having an extraordinarily confident faith, but also the realization that it reminded him of my mother. As we spoke, it occurred to me that Little Lady is a living legacy that my mother left on this earth. In the darkest years of her life, as her body and her strength and her mind failed her, she yet lived a life that greatly impacted those around her – even a toddler.
If you knew my mother, you know this is no surprise. At her memorial service, the pastor spoke of how my mother poured into others – how she longed to leave people with the very real knowledge that they were loved, not just by her, but by Christ. And she did. She really did. She poured that love out to everyone she encountered, even in the worst moments of her life.
And that’s just it, friends. Each life is a garden of soil and each encounter with others plants seeds. No matter the circumstances of our lives, we are – each moment – affecting every person we encounter. In health, in sickness, in joy, in sorrow, in laughter, in tears – we are changed by every person we encounter, and every person we encounter is changed by us. Whether for good or for ill. Every life you encounter, you will impact in some way.
What seeds are you planting in others today? Are you planting seeds of discouragement, isolation, hurt feelings? Or are you planting seeds of encouragement, belonging, and love?
The choice belongs to each of us, each moment. My mother was – and now my daughter is – a Sower of Great Faith. Great Love. Great Compassion. Great Kindness. Great Laughter.
Let us choose today to sow love into everyone around us.
From my heart to yours,
Loved this!! I never really knew your Mama, more of an acquaintance, but through your writing, I feel she was pretty much a clone of my Mama. I also read your review this morning and since we were gifted with even another couple, the name, ” Unlimited Motherhood,” really spoke to me. The thoughts you presented and challenged us with in this parable sends me deeper into prayer for myself and the ones I encounter.
Thank you.