Bloom Where You are Planted

My Grandpa’s wife gave me a clipping that turned into this plant. Crazy how when she gave me the clipping, at their house, the plant was just green, no flowers. I was drawn to the plant because I liked it’s leaves. I don’t even know what kind of plant it is!! If you recognize it, please let me know.

So, I had this plant with me in California and this is what it bloomed to be, outside. When I went back to visit my grandparents, I mentioned how beautiful the plant had become. They took me into their room and showed me the plant it had come from, and I was shocked. The plant in their bedroom looked nothing like this plant in the front yard. Their plant was the same size, but you could see the green leaves more and the flowers were very spread out, a light pink, and not nearly as dense. I could hardly believe the plant I had was a clipping of their bedroom plant…

The story goes on… I moved up to Seattle and left this plant behind with my sister. However, I took a clipping of it with me to plant when I got to Seattle. It is now a small plant on my windowsill without any flowers and just as green as ever… I am so curious to see what will happen in the coming months.

Point being… I think we bloom differently where we are planted, depending on our environment. With full sun, we may produce beautifully dense flowers, saturated with color. If kept to the inside of things with only a smattering of sun through the window, our flowers may be more sporadic and less intense. Newly planted on a windowsill, we may just be fully green and waiting to see what happens…

And yet, strangely, we are the same plant. Funny how that happens.

Plant Bloom

Philemon and Family

I was reading Philemon this morning and it occurred to me how many people God places in our life for specific reasons and timely seasons. I was having a conversation with a friend last night and we were talking about how God allows us to be in other families throughout our lives. We have our family that we were raised in… yet we find ourselves involved in other family groups as well. We learn from each of these groups something we may not have learned from our family in which we grew up. I have had many pseudo parents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, grandparents… etc.Could it be that God allows us to experience the fullness of family through the communities in which we live, to teach us more about the kingdom restored?? We were made in His image, and our original family had a flawless relationship. Then we destroyed that relationship by choosing sin. I believe that we all long for that relationship to be restored. When we struggle here on earth… it is usually about relationships that aren’t working for whatever reason. We just want those to be right, so we struggle.

Philemon is a tiny book with a big message. Paul says in verse10 and following, “I appeal to you for my son, Onesimus, who became my son while I was still in chains… I am sending him — who is my very heart — back to you. I would have liked to keep him with me…” And then he goes on to appeal to Philemon, who was the owner of Onesimus, to receive him back, no longer as a slave (which Onesimus was to Philemon) but now as a brother in Christ…. a part of the family. I noticed here also that Paul says of Onesimus, “who is my very heart”, a statement with depth beyond just a casual acquaintance.

What a beautiful picture of family. I get the sense from this little book that family is bigger than what we are born into. Paul gained a “son” in Onesimus and became his advocate to restore him back to his “family” in which he was raised… as a slave. Paul’s plea was for Onesimus to now be useful (which is the literal meaning of his name) in a different way. Now, instead of being useful as a slave, he would be useful as a brother in Christ.

It challenges me to look around and see who my family is, who has God placed in my path, and for what purpose and season? Who can I be an advocate for? Who needs a mother, a sister, an aunt or a cousin? Will we stay as slaves, and keep others there too, or will we be restored and help usher others into restoration as brothers and sisters in Christ… into family.

Who has “become my son”, as Paul says of Onesimus?

Philemon Family

Teens Against Tobacco Use

Today was a beautiful day in Seattle! The sun was shining and the skies were blue. There were big, puffy-white clouds and all was well. My sister, my nephew and I went on a long walk on some trails close-by which is a whole story in itself!! But, as we were walking home, we decided to stop at Starbucks.

As we did so, we saw some girls laying out a bunch of pairs of shoes on the sidewalk. I love garage sales, so I was ready to see what they were selling!! As we came closer, I asked them what they were doing…

They explained that they were placing 1200 shoes out to represent how many people die each day from tobacco use. I had never heard of such a thing. It was great to see these girls out there with their advisor, taking a stand for a cause they believed in.

After we had gone into Starbucks and been there for a while, a friend of mine suggested taking some pictures, so I did. When I went out to do so, I asked them some more questions. I asked if any of them had personal reasons they were there, or if they were just helping out. All of the girls had a reason for being there. One shared that her dad had died from alcohol and tobacco use. Another girl shared that her dad smokes and she has always wanted him to quit. Yet another shared that there are so many of their teenage friends that smoke, they want to help them to see what the effects are.

The group was called “Teens Against Tobacco Use”. I had never heard of them before, but I was impressed by what they were doing and more importantly, that each girl had a reason for being there. They weren’t just there to be there. The shoes made an impression with me and I am sure that many others thought twice today as well.

Nice Job, Ladies!!

Tobacco

Love Wins in Ways We Don’t Understand

There is a couple out there, Adam and Brooke, who have lost a little boy they longed for. I don’t know all the details, but I have been reading about their process on Adam’s blog, and Brooke’s as well. I would love for anyone reading this blog to pray for them in their time of struggle as they mourn a life they were so looking forward to. Adam and Brooke, if you are reading this, click on the “Love Wins” banner below and look in the top right hand corner. The baby face there represents your little one. I know you are going through hell right now, trying to understand why Love would take that life away from you. I don’t have an answer for you except that Love Wins even when life sucks and we don’t understand it in the least.

There was a little boy, Joshua, who was 9 years old at my dad’s church. He was such a precious life. He brought joy to all of us. His voice still rings in my ears when I hear a certain song he would always sing. His family was in a house fire, and Joshua heard a crying after he had already safely gotten out. Without a second thought, he went back in to rescue that life and in so doing, he died in the fire. We were all devastated, to say the least. I still don’t understand to this day why he had to go so soon. I do remember thinking, strangely, that he got to go to Jesus without ever having to struggle through the rest of his life. He got to go to heaven before the anguish of adolescence. His love for Jesus was still so pure and then he got to see Jesus face to face. I think there are many tiny lives in heaven, and I don’t understand why, it seemingly makes no sense. You guys have been heavy on my heart for a while and when I did this banner; I came across that baby face and I put it up there in honor of your little guy who is with Jesus, waiting for you guys, smiling and pure.

I have been praying for you both, even without fully knowing you. I pray that others will continue to lift you up as well, in word and deed. It’s okay to be mad at God. It’s okay to question what the heck He’s doing. I pray He floods you both with everything you need to walk the path before you. I’m so sorry for your loss.

Our church is having a Doubt Night this Sunday night. It should be an interesting night. We have encouraged people to come with questions that don’t have simple answers. I am sure there will be some posts as a result of the night’s questions, if you feel like checking back there.

Love Wins

A few days late, but relevant all year long…. Happy Easter!! At my church, we celebrated Easter in two words, “Love Wins”. It was a great celebration remembering how Jesus laid down His power and chose to love us to death. He could have done anything He wanted to get out of the situation, but He chose Love. And we are saved as a result!!

I really appreciated the message on Easter Sunday. Our pastor encouraged us to choose love in our everyday life. Every time we choose what we know in our hearts is right, then…. Love Wins.

Love Wins over death
Love Wins in life
Love Wins when we choose to do the right thing
Love Wins when we die to ourselves
Love Wins when we swallow our pride
Love Wins when serve each other
Love Wins when we choose to stay when the going gets tough
Love Wins when we turn the other cheek when someone offends us
Love Wins when we believe Jesus did what He did for us
Love Wins

This banner is a result of a stirring in my soul when my Grandmother died on March 4th. Ever since that day, I have wanted to express something that signifies Resurrection. My Grandmother has wanted to go to heaven for over 20 years!! She is now with Jesus and much happier, I am sure. I miss her very much, but I know she is where she wants to be. She is resurrected to be with Jesus. Love Wins!!

When Easter came around, I still had this stirring to express Resurrection in some way. I have not used my Art in a long time… and I felt like it was time. I offered to do a banner for the Easter Service and this was the result… In honor of my Grandmother. It is a torn paper collage from magazine pictures. If you were to see it closely, there are many details in the way of words, pictures and faces. It is about 7 feet long and 52 inches wide.

God really used it to bless many people, the response was humbling and a bit overwhelming. I am thankful for the process. I am also thankful that Love Wins!!

My Grandmother is in heaven because Love Wins.

Jesus wins