My parents have a large garden on some land they have in northern Georgia. Yesterday, we went to visit them there to pick pumpkins. These are the very same pumpkins that the kids planted themselves way back when frost was still on the ground. It was exciting to say the least. There is just something indescribable about starting with a tiny seed and ending up with a fat and fabulous orange pumpkin.

Hmm…you know what I’m thinking? Of course, you do. That is how Jesus is planted in our lives and the lives of others. It all starts with a tiny seed. Then growth begins until finally it comes to fruition. My kids were fortunate. They got to see the seeds they planted grow to their full potential. Many times, we plant seeds in the lives of others and we do not get to see the fruits of our labor. Other times, someone else has planted the seed, and we are merely the water and the rain that helps it grow. Again, we may never see that seed grow to produce fruit. The job of the planter and the one who nourishes are still important, though.

Carol

Carol

Okay, you’re probably wondering where in the world I have been. My life has been a whirlwind this past week. I have just been too busy to blog!! I did finish my challenge. Most of the days, I gave compliments. I still haven’t bought someone’s lunch in the drive thru, yet! But I want to do that one day. Thank you to those of you who participated. There were more that participated than left comments, because I spoke to you and you told me.

Thank you for the sweet comments for my grandmothers. If you haven’t done that, I would still love to have your prayers and comments for them! Some of you have told me in person that you have prayed for them. I covet your prayers.

The challenge week is over, but I still find myself looking around and trying to find someone unsuspecting to be nice to. So I have decided that the challenge will live on in my heart. Isn’t that what God wants from us anyway?

Matthew 25:40“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

God is doing great things my way! I hope you are being blessed as well!
Carol

Carol

Hello..Hello..Hello… is anybody out there…out there….out there…just nod if you can hear me… Hey, wait a minute, I think I’m singing a Pink Floyd song! That would be thanks to my husband, whose favorite group is…you guessed it – Pink Floyd. I think that is still his favorite group, at least it was in high school. Okay, so I’m off the subject. What was the subject anyway? Did I even start talking about anything yet?

Oh yeah! Uhh-hmmm(clearing throat). Today was Challenge Day #3 for me. I decided to visit my two grandmothers today. One of them is 93; her names is Frances. She is the most precious lady in all of creation! You would love her. Everyone does. She lives on our family road.

Aunt/Uncle…Grandmother….Aunt/Uncle…Mom/Dad…Memaw (my other grandmother). This is the order of the houses. So Grandmother drives a golf cart to all of the family homes to visit. She doesn’t walk very well. Her hips, which have both been replaced several times, are not currently in socket. She is too old, however, to have them fixed. So she walks (very slowly) with a walker in her own special way with a smile on her face. Her eyesight is gone from macular degeneration, so she is legally blind. She lost the feeling in several of her fingers, perhaps from years of crocheting. But do you ever hear Grandmother complain? No. She gets up every morning and says, “Use me, Lord.” The Lord has used her in many ways over her 93 years. She along with my Papaw raised three children to love the Lord. Each of the children then teaching their children to love the Lord and so on. She now has 6 children, 12 grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren.

Faith and I rode on her golf cart, hunted for her cat, and talked with her about how good the Lord has been. I went to bless her, but I was the one blessed.

My Memaw is 90. My Pop was a southern Baptist preacher. So Memaw spent many years making the sacrifices that only a preacher’s wife can know about. Pop has gone on to be with the Lord, but Memaw remains solid in that same strong faith she had as she stood by his side. She loves her family and will let you know how proud she is of each of them. She has 4 children, 9 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great-grandchildren with one more on the way! Memaw is one of the best cooks this side of the Mississippi. Chicken and rice casserole, homemade mashed potatoes, angel biscuits, fudge, chocolate chip cookies, fried okra…that is just the start of all the delicacies that Memaw is a pro at cooking. (I don’t know about you, but I’ve made myself hungry!)

The day was full of blessings as we shared some time with each of these special ladies. Both have their own set of health problems, mostly due to their age. Would you be so kind as to pray for them? If so, please leave a comment. My mother reads them both my posts and I know it would mean so much! Thanks!

Lord, thank you so much for my Memaw and Grandmother. Thank you for the blessings they brought me today. Bless them each day as they get out of bed. Give them strength and continue to be real in their lives. Thank you for the legacy that Christian parents pass down. May I pass down the same love for Christ to my own children. Help them to live out the rest of their days basking in the grace and love that only you can bring. Amen.

Carol

Well, after a run last night I finally came up with something nice I could do for my challenge. I decided to write a note of encouragement to a friend of mine and compliment her character. Doesn’t it seem we often get compliments on our appearance? I thought a character compliment would be very meaningful. I thought I’d mail it today. And then this morning God was all up in my house! I’ll share later all about how good MY God is!

So I ended up calling my friend, Leigh, to tell her about my praise story. This was the same friend I was going to compliment, so I told her about my idea to write her a card. Then I told her I was just going to tell her myself what I would have written. She is one of the most beautiful people I know. When I say beautiful I don’t just mean her outward appearance. But she does make jeans, a pony tail, and no make-up look gorgeous. This girl shines from the inside out. She has one of the most pure and genuine hearts. She loves Jesus. She doesn’t just say she loves Him, she lives it. This is a person you are drawn to. You want to just sit down and not leave her presence because she seems so genuine and so comfortable in her own skin. She just oozes Christ. Everyone who knows Leigh, loves Leigh. She is just that special. So I ended up telling her that over the phone. I heard lots of sniffles from the other side and “thank you, thank you.” Don’t you just love making people feel good? I do!

Tonight, I met with my girlfriend Amy and bought her dessert. Okay, I know that just almost doesn’t compare with the compliments I gave Leigh, but it was cheesecake. With chocolate, no less. AND a Diet Coke. Cheesecake and a Diet Coke. Can I get an “Amen”?

More to come later on how awesome my God is! Check back for Day #3!!

Carol

Well, Sunday was my first day practicing the challenges I issued. I tried Challenge #2. I spent the whole day praising God and thanking Him. I asked for NOTHING! I have to say that I didn’t expect it to be as difficult as it was. I am one of those who talks to God all day. I pray about all the little stuff during the day. Every time I found myself wanting to ask God for something, I just exchanged my request with words of praise.

I ran into a friend at church who had read the challenge. She told me that she was trying it, and when she found herself about to ask for something, she thanked Him for the solution instead. For example: You are going to call the doctor’s office to schedule an appointment for your child. You know that you should have called sooner for a well-child visit and they are probably scheduling two months out by now. You, however, need to have the appointment in the next two weeks. Instead of “Lord, will you please allow an appointment to be available in the time frame I need“, you say, “Lord, thank you for the appointment that you are going to provide me in your perfect timing.” Ha-Ha! That is pretty tricky! You are still kind of asking for something. But you know what? I bet God likes it because you are telling Him you know He can do anything. Isn’t that the way we are supposed to pray anyway?

Back to my day of praise…After church, my girlfriend Amanda told me she thought I was going to come right out of the choir loft during the worship portion of the service. She said, “You were really enjoying yourself. You were definitely praising Jesus. You looked like you just wanted to start hopping.” I laughed, but it was true. I wanted to raise my hands and shout! (I am not normally a hand raiser.) But I was feeling Jesus, it was my day to focus on the praise, and I was going to let Him know how I felt. It was a great feeling. The day left me feeling revived! Can I get an Amen?

Now for the other challenge…I haven’t done anything yet. Isn’t that awful? I keep thinking of things I can do, but don’t do anything. I kept looking for someone to compliment at the mall on Saturday and couldn’t find anyone. I wanted it to be genuine. I did volunteer to take Amanda’s place in the nursery last night at church because she had a migraine, but she declined. I guess that doesn’t count. The day is not over. Check back tomorrow and see what niceness I was able to dig out…

Carol