Planting Hope in Fields and Words

May 17, 2009 | 16 comments

The farmer steps down from his tractor to receive noontime visitors. Two of his visitors run his direction before I have time to step out of the van with the tray of food we’ve prepared.

“Daddy!” they call.


The girls and I have brought the farmer his lunch: cheese, sausage and soynuts made here on the farm.

A few more hours of planting, he says, and this field will be done. He’ll be home by supper.

Was it three weeks ago that we were wondering how this would all turn out, when we were wondering how he would plant this farm without his dad? And now here we were, securely on the back side of the planting season.

Great is Thy faithfulness.

Scott finishes his lunch, and I promise to check the fields up the hill. We joke about whether I’d find anything springing up through planted Earth — or whether I’d find only a field a dirt.

“God wouldn’t do that to us, would He?” Scott says, and winks.

We both know better than to think God would turn His back on us. This planting thing is His deal anyhow. We merely scrape back Earth to drop in seeds, in small acts of hope. But God is the keeper of the promise, the life in the seed.

The girls and I drive west, then south, toward the fields up the hill, to find the promise fulfilled.


O Lord, If Grace is the thing that happens when You reach done to us, may we offer something that reaches back up?
Today, on this Day of Rest, we join with the Earth and give our praise to you.

***

Dear Reader: We plant hope, too — you and I — with our words. Whether we write them in blogs, or whisper them in prayer, or speak them to our children, or offer them to our neighbor — we all plant hope with our words.

For the last week, we’ve been on a journey here at Getting Down With Jesus, exploring “Why We Blog.” Many of you have shared your own journeys, and I’m delighted you participated. May the fruit of your labor be evident in the word-fields that you tend.

Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. — 1 Corinthians 15:58


“Seed Planters” in the “Why We Blog” writing project:

Arianne at the Pfizenmaier Tales, with her post and beautiful photo.
Jennifer Dorhauer at More Than Just Adam’s Rib offers this post, which offers a lovely reminder of the written legacy we leave our children.
(Welcome, Arianne and Jennifer. You two are blessings. It’s been a pleasure to get to know you through this project, and through your blogs.)

Others who posted earlier this week include:

Sarah Lopez at God’s Not Finished With Us Yet with her post and photo collage.
mom2six at Treasures of Darkness, with
her post.
Chrissy at A Pastor’s Wife … The Faith Journey. Here is
her post.
Christy Rose at The Secret Life of an American Wife and Mom. Her post: “
Why I Blog.”
Spaghettipie hosted a similar series at her blog last year. Here’s her
contribution to this project.
Lyla Lindquist at A Different Story, with “
Why We Blog: Blame it on the Grasshoppers.”
James Oh at Christian Walk Toward Destiny, with
“Why We Blog”.
Valerie at Simply 4 God, with
It’s My Blogoversary.
isumom at ISU and Other Life Details, with
Why I Blog.

by | May 17, 2009 | 16 comments

16 Comments

  1. Hope42Day

    It is amazing that through the dirt springs growth, year after year after year. Just like through the darkness, faith lights our lives, day after day after day.

    Reply
  2. Michele Williams

    Great post! My prayer is that my blog plants hope in the each reader. God bless you

    Reply
  3. Billy Coffey

    A farmer’s faith is the greatest faith of all. I’ve learned much in my visits here, but that one stands above the rest.

    Blessings to you, Jennifer!

    Reply
  4. christy rose

    Jennifer,

    We are the dirt fields that the seeds of hope are planted in and it is in our lives that the fruit of the harvest will be evident. Thanks for planting hope in me every time I come here.

    Christy

    Reply
  5. Monica

    I love: We plant hope, too — you and I — with our words. Whether we write them in blogs, or whisper them in prayer, or speak them to our children, or offer them to our neighbor — we all plant hope with our words.

    I totally agree and believe this, this is going to be my thoughts to meditate this week! ~Truly beautiful~

    Reply
  6. Tyrone Ferrara

    In response to your comment:

    I believe my blog does well in Brazil because of my name reminds them of tyrone ferreira, a famous portuguese Golf celebrity.

    I don’t even speak portuguese, but I do use google’s “Translate”.

    Reply
  7. elaine @ peace for the journey

    I don’t know why this brings me to my tears this morning, but it does. There’s something about freshly plowed farmlard and the fruits of a season’s labor in bloom that touches the deepest part of me.

    On another note, I sure could use your wide open skies and farmland for a photo shoot I’m doing this week. Who needs a paint brush when you’ve got landscape like that already painted for you by the hands of Almighty God?! Stunning.

    peace~elaine

    Reply
  8. Lyla Lindquist

    Just yesterday we were talking about Mark 4 where Jesus told of the Kingdom being like that seed, scattered by the farmer. Then, night or day, whether he slept or got up, worked or rested, the seed sprouted. And grew. Whether he got it or not. The stalk, then the head, then the kernel.

    And then the harvest.

    Thought of that with the picture of the tiny stalk stretching itself out of the ground. Scott plants it, and cares for it, and watches over it, but it grows by itself. It does its own reaching from soil to sky.

    I’m too much of a city kid to get that at all. But what a wonder it must be to watch up close.

    Reply
  9. Pam at beyondjustmom

    I’m so glad His faithfulness has blessed your family through this tough time. Beautiful post.

    Reply
  10. God's Not Finished With Us Yet...

    I agree with Michele. My prayer is also that my blog plants seeds and new beginnings of hope for readers who are lost, wounded are just need encouragement.

    That was a great post Jennifer. I love how ya’ll work on a family farm like this. It brings such great opportunities for awesome analogies. And the labor work of a farming family is so great.

    In Kentucky my family had a farm and when I was little we often went out and had to pick all the blueberries and bring them back to my aunt for her to make jam, but I always came back with a nearly empty container….I kept eating them as I was gathering them! 😀

    Reply
  11. patty

    Thank you, once again, Jennifer, for sharing your life & words with us…
    I finally, after stewing about it fro many days, wrote a little about why I blog. Stop by when you have time.
    Have a blessed day 🙂

    Reply
  12. Angel

    What an awesome post! I loved it!

    Reply
  13. Laura

    Jennifer…

    You have planted one of your seeds in this heart tonight. Something about those green fingers poking up out of tilled dirt. This desert heart has felt so parched and dry of late.

    I always leave here refreshed, recommitted.

    Thank you for that.

    :)Laura

    Reply
  14. Jennifer

    Laura,

    The fields beneath that photo of the corn sprouting were dry, too. But something sprouted anyhow. And Good News, sister: Rain is in the forecast. May you feel healing rain on your soul.

    God bless you all for your kind remarks. You ALL have blessed me.

    Reply
  15. LisaShaw

    WOW! this is a beautiful message and the photos are breathtaking.

    LOOK AT THE GOODNESS OF OUR GOD!

    Your words said will rest with me:

    “Dear Reader: We plant hope, too — you and I — with our words. Whether we write them in blogs, or whisper them in prayer, or speak them to our children, or offer them to our neighbor — we all plant hope with our words.”

    Reply
  16. Rick Mullen

    Love your words, sharing truth and yourself. They give me, and others, hope and joy.
    Thank You,
    God Bless,
    Rick

    Reply

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Pin It on Pinterest