“Plant the Seed”
Cherry Hills Village, CO—Neighborhood near Cherry Hills Village
WHERE: Head to the parking lot of Cherry Hills Village Elementary School and park here (map).
• Walk up Quincy to Meade Lane and take a right to follow the loop. Stop at pond and stream and read the message.
• You can continue your walk up Quincy to Random Road and then into the Kent School for a lovely stroll with a view of the glorious mountains.
WHEN: Anytime, but at the end of your walk you could have a picnic on the Kent grounds and watch the sunset
BLESSED SPOT: Go to this spot with the view of the pond and the stream
Find this lovely view and read the message
“What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now! God is keeping careful watch over us and the future. The Day is coming when you’ll have it all—life healed and whole”.
—1 Peter 1:3-5
“Plant the Seed”
My mom used to tell me stories about living in San Francisco during the war. She often referred to it as the “war effort,” and that included collecting cans and metal, rationing the food, reusing anything and everything, or having to turn lights off at night to avoid potential detection by the enemy. It certainly feels like we are in a war now, but with something so much more illusive and sneaky—fear, depression, anxiety, loneliness, cynicism, anger, frustration…. These are the enemies we are battling against.
As I was walking these lovely wide-open streets, gazing at the trickling streams and peaceful ponds God put the idea of “planting seeds” in my heart. I am a person that needs something to look forward to, a trip to take, a restaurant to try, a friend to visit, a concert to attend… and as we all know, that is all on hold. Universally we are putting our lives on pause. I believe God was telling me to start a better “war effort” to begin planting seeds for our future selves, our children’s lives, our friend’s lives, our future planet. Planting a seed takes trust. Trust that it will bloom or sprout when the quiet time in the ground has finished. We don’t know how long each seed takes, but with water and love it is guaranteed to grow.
Tell them who they are
Bob Goff (who I love so much) said it perfectly “Don’t tell people what to do, tell them who they are.” Telling someone they are inspiring, creative, genuine, full of wisdom, fun to be around, (fill in the blank) plants a seed in their soul. That seed of self-worth will bloom over-and-over in their life. When someone has shared a characteristic they saw in me or told me who they believe I am I have never forgotten their words. It is as if they are stitched into my soul, they become something I can hold onto when I feel that darkness inside.
Look at the beautiful surroundings, the stream that keeps flowing, the calmness of the pond. The mountains stretching up from the horizon. Watch the ducks that have no clue what is going on around them, happily splashing along. These pauses are refreshing. Take a moment to just settle into the words that someone has spoken into you in the past. Let that seed sprout right now in your heart. And, think about someone who could really use a dose of encouragement—they need to hear you tell them who they are, not what they should be doing. Speak into someone and you might ignite a potential writer, photographer, minister, comedian, inventor, entrepreneur, or future president.
For me, I also need something in the here-and-now to look forward to. We have begun 3 virtual hangouts a week. One night we play a game over Google Hangouts, one night we have bible study, and one night we just catch up with friends. I believe the time we are spending together is even more powerful than before Covid-19 hit us. I feel even more focused on WHAT we say to each other and the WAY we demonstrate our love for one another. I believe we are planting seeds in one another and planting seeds within myself. I look forward to how God is going to use this time in my life, it is definitely a time like no other in our lives.
Hope loves company!
I read on Nextdoor.com about people in the Washington Park and Platt Park neighborhoods who are putting their Christmas lights back up. This is a wonderful way of uniting us and planting the seed of hope and joy. Instead of dimming the lights like my mom did during the war, we can light up the sky with our anticipation of better things to come and the joy that is possible right now!
In Italy they are standing in their doorways, on balconies, and hanging out of windows singing the national anthem in unison. They are chanting “there is no virus that can beat us”. What a wonderful show of solidarity during a time. We can be bound together in love!
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” — Jeremiah 29:11
The future starts now
I have prayed for you to feel inspired to start planting seeds now. That you would be prompted to speak into someone’s life. That you would feel the words that someone spoke to you rise to the surface and fill you up. That you would make some plans to look forward to. Start a standing video chat, begin that business you have been dreaming about, sing on your front porch, paint that painting, start photographing, initiate that non-profit….
What is the one seed you can plant today?
This spot in front of the pond and stream has been prayed for:
For you to realize who you are in God
For that word to bubble to the surface that someone spoke into you
To plant a seed in someone else today
To alter someone else’s course in the most positive way
To start that dream you have been putting on hold
Things you can do:
Post a comment, a thought, a prayer, or a request
Put up your Christmas lights
Text or call that someone and tell them “who they are”
Read Bob Goff’s books: Love Does and Everybody, Always
Remember God is bigger than C-19 and this too will pass!
