Posts
Sunday, May 13
Spring always makes me think of my dad. I was thinking about
him the other day. Nostalgia set in. Thinking how he would have thoroughly
enjoyed his three great-granddaughters. My heart ached that they never got to
know him.
I thought how much fun they would have had in his
greenhouse. Dad had a green thumb, as they say. Well, no, not really. He had
green fingers! All of them! Anything he planted always grew.
He could stick any wilting flower, dying plant, or practically
dead twig he picked up off the ground into his special blend, water it,
fertilize it, put it in the right spot of the greenhouse for the perfect warmth
and healing power of the sun, and otherwise coax it back to a healthy, strong,
and flourishing condition.
The secret of his special concoction for nurturing dying
plants back to life died with him. I never found out what it was. He left this
earth sooner than any of us thought.
I miss my dad. I miss his hugs. I miss seeing him in his
jeans and nourishing his fledgling plants.
As I reminisced, I thought about how he and my mom nurtured
me as their daughter. I was just like one of Dad’s plants: I was placed into
the special blend of people as my family watered me, feed me, protected me,
supported me, encouraged me, brought me up in church and to know the Lord, planting
the seeds of Christian values with me, and nourished me in every way they knew
how, placing me in the right spot for the Son to coax me to a healthy, strong,
and flourishing condition.
They believed in “Train up a child in the way he should go,
and when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Prov. 22:6 NKJV) I love the
way some other versions state it:
* “Teach a child to choose the right path...” The Living
Bible
* “Direct your children onto the right path...” New Living
Translation
* “Start children off on the way
they should go...” The new New International Version
* “Bring up a child by teaching
him the way he should go...” New Living Version
* “Teach children how they should live, and they will remember
it all their life.” Good News Translation
They taught; I remembered.
And when circumstances hover over me as a black shroud and I
feel them sap my strength, leaving me like the wilted flower or the stick lying
on the ground, giving up, my heavenly Father comes along, picks me up, and sticks
me in His special blend of love, encouragement, and peace, nurturing this
fledgling back to health and strength.
The Lord is our Husbandman, the One who knows His soil and
purposes to have a harvest. When circumstances hover over you, beating you
down, allow Him to do His nurturing in your life, coaxing you back to a
healthy, strong, and flourishing condition.
“You have allowed me
to suffer much hardship,
but You will restore
me to life again.”
(Ps. 71:20 NLT)
Today, I’m hooking up with
the blog chain for Christianwriters.com. For other great posts on the topic of nurture, please find the list in the
right sidebar.
Also with...
Beautiful words Lynn! I hope you had a Wonderful Mother's Day! Pam Mosher
Aww, thank you, sweet Pam! Day wasn't so stellar. Hope you had a wonderful day. Blessings to you!
This was wonderful. I love the idea that our Heavenly Father knows our soil. It brings Jesus' parable to life.
Thanks so much, Carol! You always make my heart happy! Bless you!
Thank you Lynn for sharing those wonderful memories of your Dad. What a treasure! I've never had the pleasure of knowing someone who could coax to life plants the way he could - truly and amazing gift. Peace and Blessings!
Sounds like you had a wonderful dad and your parents obviously raised you well! He sounds like Tom's mother, who also could make anything grow and flourish. I love the thought of God planting us in "His special blend of love,encouragement, and peace, nurturing this fledgling back to health and strength." Thank you so much for the inspiration and encouragement once again, dear Lynn. Blessings to you always!
Sweet thoughts of your dad. Thanks for sharing them. :)
Biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig hug
Thank you Lynn. We have all been a stick tossed aside and lying on the ground at one time or another. Thank you for this hopeful picture of our Master-gardener Heavenly Father. Very nice. :)
Thank you Lynn - it sounds like your father was the epitome of nurturing - both for plants and for you.
Terrie, he could bring anything back to life. I think he would rather have been a farmer! Thanks so much for dropping by! Blessings!
Aw, thanks, Connie. It took a while but I think their teaching finally sunk in! LOL So appreciate you! Blessings!
Thanks so much, Pegg! Appreciate it!
Thanks so much for stopping by, Jacky!
Sandi, I'm grateful for your visit and comment. Bless you!
Bill, he was a great dad! Thanks so much for visiting and commenting. I truly appreciate it. Bless you!
What a wonderful heritage!
What a neat honor you wrote for your dad and to celebrate a wonderful legacy
I really like this...
When circumstances hover over you, beating you down, allow Him to do His nurturing in your life, coaxing you back to a healthy, strong, and flourishing condition.
I need to keep this thought nearby!
You are so right, Lynn. He may push us through the fire, but He replenishes us at the other end, and if we look back, He even kept us from being badly burned, as long as we hung onto our faith in Him. And, when you look at His beautiful garden - earth - you know He can nurture everything exactly as it needs. We are indeed lucky children. Oh, and your dad sounds like he was really a wonderful man! You were lucky to have him, as I know you are well aware.
Beautiful post, Lynn. It truly touched my heart.
God bless you.
Jean, Christine, Ceci, and Deborah, I am so-so sorry. I could have sworn I thanked all of you. Forgive me. I deeply appreciate all of you and your generous words. You all have blessed me. Thank you! Blessings to you!
Beautiful tribute to your parents and to our heavenly Father, the Vinedresser. I read your post earlier in the week and thought I'd commented already, but I must not have. Just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed it. Have a blessed weekend!
Thanks so much, dear Traci! I so appreciate your stopping by and leaving a comment. You're a dear! Bless you!
Fabulous Lynn, God is good, all the time!!