May Seeds Fall On Fertile Soil

“For every seed I sow, an apple tree will grow
And apple trees will be there
For everyone on the world to share”

These lines from the old camp grace have been running through my being as I reflect on the events of the last few days. It never ceases to amaze me how things take root and grow when a tiny seed is planted. Sometimes we intentionally plant the seed while, at other times, the seed just drops into the soil of our beings as a result of a word shared or a thought expressed. Like Jesus reminds us in the parable of the sower, some seeds fall on rocky ground and simply fail to thrive while others fall on fertile soil and what results is amazing!

A Seed Began to Grow

On Monday morning Chris and I gathered in the office to do some further planning for upcoming worship. At least that is where we started and, as is often the case, where we ended up was creating something totally different. A comment was made about language which we discussed briefly and then returned to the task at hand. However, the seed had dropped and it fell on fertile ground. Pretty soon our conversation returned to the thought and as we talked and laughed something began to grow. By the end of the morning it had grown into a 4 week Lenten series that will begin on March 22.

Another Seed and a Plan Developed

On Wednesday morning I met with three wonderful women who had come together as a result of a seed planted a couple of weeks ago in the words I wrote about mental health. Each one of us comes from a different cultural and spiritual background but were drawn together by our sense of connection in the universe. Shelly is founder of “Lead With Your Heart”, a foundation that supports mental health programming in the community. Valerie is a holistic practioner who works with energy and balance. Laurie is an Addiction Educational Consultant and a Student of the Institute for Shamanic Studies. I am a spiritual care giver who has walked with many through times of darkness.

We started with the question

“How can we nurture the human spirit as we embrace our mental well being?”

The seed I planted fell on fertile ground and began to grow. As a result of our gathering together we have developed a plan to reach out to our brothers and sisters in the community to provide a safe space for those who are struggling to gather for support, fellowship, fun and education. The details of this plan will be released over the next few weeks.

My prayer is that the seeds we plant will find fertile soil in which to grow and, like the mustard seed, grow to great proportions providing what is needed for many.

Blessings
Valerie