Sometimes God shows up in the most unexpected ways.
I am reminded of the time we went to help my father-in-law trim his bushes. He was a man who kept his lawn, bushes and flowers pristine. His lawn was enough to make anyone jealous. Due to the issues that come with aging, it had been difficult for him to get to spend time outside.
While my husband went outside with his dad to do yard work, I remained inside with my mother-in-law. This was to the delight of dad, who was all ready and waiting in his gardening clothes and shoes when we arrived. The sight alone was enough to make us realize how much he missed outdoor time.
They trimmed the bushes and then decided to weed his garden plot so that the weeds would not be visible from the street. Much to Dad’s joy, four tomato plants had seeded themselves. They were now growing and had flowers on them, meaning the tomatoes were coming. There will never be words to express the joy he felt at his unexpected find. They began, not only to weed, but to soften the ground around them, tie them up and then water them.
You may be thinking, “Big deal”.
To a man who had always taken great delight and pride in his vegetable garden, this was an amazing discovery. It became something to look forward to each day. Something small to tend to that had always been a source of enjoyment.
Mostly it was God showing up in a big way.
Only God Himself could have known how much dad was missing planting a garden. Only God Himself could have delighted dad with this simple, yet profound gift. Only God Himself.
“The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God.” (Isaiah 35:1,2 NIV).
May we each have eyes to see where and when our God shows up.
Where have you seen Him lately?
Insecurity can raise its ugly head every now and then in any one of our lives. Ashley Rowland brings powerful encouragement and Scriptures for those days when we may doubt ourselves. Be sure to read her post “Insecurity: 7 Verses for When You Doubt Yourself”.
Come, sit a spell. Bring your coffee, your posts, and your thoughts. If you link up, kindly visit those who have drawn up a seat around you.
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Today I am joining …
What a sweet blessing for your father-in-law! Many times, just as I have been praying about or pondering a situation, my Bible reading that day will touch on the issue in my mind. I feel so known and loved in those moments.
Barbara, it is amazing how much joy it brought him that day, and still brings us today even though he has been gone five years.
Oh, Joanne what a beautiful blessing. This reminded me of my dad as he aged. He had a greenhouse but as he aged was unable to sell to the public, then as he progressed in age he was only able to grow for himself. Then the time came when he couldn’t do that either. My cousin who lived across the street from him began planting flowers and a few vegetables alongside his house. And boy was he ever delighted. God sure did provide him with joy. Thank you for this blessed lesson today. Blessings.
~Selah~
Paula, thank you for sharing your memory with me! It is amazing how what seems to be a small gesture really is much larger than we can ever anticipate. May God bless you today with an unexpected surprise!
Joanne, I have to add how much your words resonated and touched me today.
And you touched me as well, Paula! {{hugs}}
Joanne, such a poignant story of implicit beauty! I can almost picture your father-in-law’s delight at finding those tomato plants; it brings tears to my eyes to view this picture of our Heavenly Father’s tender love toward His child. Thank you for the reminder that God sees far more than we can grasp; even to the small joys of our hearts.
Amen. Every small joy matters to Him. May we remember this always.
I love God’s personal gifts/blessings…like those of surprise tomato plants! I’m not a tomato lover but I suppose I will not be turning my nose up at one anytime soon – what a great reminder of His tender care for us!!
What a sweet story about your Dad! God does know what we love and what we need!
I truly Love that you took the time to do this for your father. Time is best gift of all and especially as we age…Indeed Huge Blessings in unexpected places!
I love how God shows up in the little ways like that with just the right thing to encourage us!
He reminds us time and time again, the little things in life often are much bigger than we realize at the time 🙂 May we enjoy those little things!
Yes, Lord. Give me the eyes to see.
Aw, Joanne, I loved reading about how much joy the tomato plants brought to your father-in-law. Reminds me of my dad and peonies … a few weeks before he died, I told him the peonies were blooming at his house and he asked me to bring him one. What a gift from God to be able to do that. â¤ï¸
Lois, it truly is these little memories that make us realize the preciousness of life. I can only imagine your dad’s joy when you brought him his flower!
Oh, my….I love the tender blessing of God growing a tomato plant to bring joy to your father-in-law.
A family friend is losing his mother to cancer. Each week they spend time in her garden together. It is one of her greatest joys.
Thank you for sharing this lovely story. God is faithful!
Peace and grace,
Tammy
Prayed for your friend before hitting reply. May the time spent together now prove to be a cherished memory in the days to come. Blessings!
I was just praying today that I had seen and heard God this week through my sister-in-law. We haven’t been able to connect lately for a lunch date, but we did get in a long phone conversation yesterday and it was so refreshing. I appreciate the spiritual wisdom and empathy she lends me.