Gifts

What a busy couple of days it has been!  Not sure if the days have been truly full of activity or if my mind has been busy.   Yesterday I went to offer my presence to a very good friend and her relatives, as one of her brothers has died.   I hoped that my being there would show how equally pained I felt at his sudden passing and that my participation in whatever had to be done would at least for that period ease their burden.  I came away feeling lifted by my participation in the simple tasks, the many hugs received, by the laughter which lifted my spirits, amidst the sadness.  I gained as much as I hoped I have given.   My ‘weeping and gnashing of teeth” were eased for a period.  What a gift!


I have another friend who always speaks of “planting seeds” and I thoroughly understand, what I call, her adage.   You’ve got to lay down the ground work, nurture your crop and receive your harvest.   That planting of seeds has been my greatest ambition and my greatest fear, since I am 17 years old.  Have I, am I planting my seeds in fallow land?  I am a little afraid that in fact, my seeds i.e. my talents, would not be used to fullest before I die.

 Last evening while reading a book, with which she gifted me I came across the same  adage, elaborated upon by Joel Osteen.  He speaks of us being God’s seed and that like seeds we must go through a trial before we erupt from the soil.  Now, have I not heard that many times before?  Yes, but it  was an eureka moment for me reading his interpretation, because going through over many years, these many challenges I had never seen myself as God’s seed:  being planted in a particular space, having my husk softened and pressured by the soil, moistened by the water course, putting down roots then pushing my first leaves up, up, up, through the dark soil, ever-pressing, straight through to the light!  Instead I’ve felt weighted down by the challenges, not understanding my purpose as a seed.    This enlightenment has given me food for thought and  if I can keep that in mind, will make the burden of change a bit lighter.  My ‘weeping and gnashing of teeth’ were eased for a period.  What a gift!


Sometime ago my dear ‘auntie’ gifted me with a ham.  Yes, I tell you, with a smile…a ham.  It was way too big for immediate use so in an optimistic fashion I decided that it would form part of my thanksgiving ceremony when I find a job, never expecting it to be in the freezer for so many months.    From time to time she would fuss as to it still being in the freezer, that she bought it so that I could eat it in celebration, with friends.  My ‘auntie’ recently fell ill and the ham is finally getting baked.   I am baking it in thanksgiving for her continued life and giving it to her so that it may form part of her welcome to one of her friends visiting from abroad.    My heart feels glad that I have not wasted her gift to me. What a gift! My ‘weeping and gnashing of teeth’ have been eased for a period.  What a gift!

Lesson learnt

I am a seed of the Spirit. Somewhere deep inside of me, there is a seed of hope.  Psalm 126:6 inspires.