Planting Seeds

 "You cannot hold on to anything good. You must be continually giving - and getting. You cannot hold on to your seed. You must sow it - and reap anew. You cannot hold on to riches. You must use them and get other riches in return." ~ Robert Collier

I had written about visiting my uncle and his family I had not seen since 1986 few days ago. Together with my son, we had a fun time reminiscing fun moments, neglecting the things that either dampened the growth of love within the family like when him and my father were involved in a court battle over a piece of land or other things that caused divisions among them. I was so glad that I listened to the prompting of the Spirit days before the anticipated visit of mine. Our reunion became our source of healing the past, buried wounds. Tears of joy washed away the many injuries inflicted in each other’s hearts, brought about by a court battle from the older generation and putting up walls of isolation between them (siblings of my father), in which, some of my cousins chose to be involved.

Tonight, it would be their turn to come over to our house and I invited them for dinner. You betcha! I had been preparing what foods to make and making a list ahead of time.

I went earlier to Trader Joe’s and I thought of getting some fruits for desserts, instead of cakes and other sweets to have a healthier option, knowing my uncle had a history of stroke, yet he was doing well with less-noticeable aftermath.

“The cherries and grapes are very sweet!” That was my text message to my husband who was still at work.

Sometimes, I’m surprised how some fruits are so sweet even if it may not be their season. I know my guests will love them. And I’m not sure if my husband will make me save those seeds again. He always wants me to save some seeds if we happen to get sweet fruits to see if they will grow in our backyard.

But in the back of my mind, our dinner tonight I know will not be about food. It is a continuation of our renewal and mending broken relationships. It is with the hope that we all will further get healed in this special get-together. My cousins are flying on Sunday, back to Australia and God knows when we will see each other again.

As my battle from workplace has not even begun and as they lessened my working hours in the prison, this trial became an advantage instead. With the more time I gained on my hands as things at work changed, priorities in my heart needed to change. God showed me during my painful moments that I actually never lose any position at work. He blessed me instead with more time for my family and He made me truly consider the steps I’m taking in this journey to gear toward healing, hope and restoration. And it starts with my own family.

As much as He knows how much I love to share my stories from work and relate it with my faith in Him to make others know Him through my posts, He is showing me little by little that though the Bible says that the “harvest is plenty,” He is reminding me that I will not be able to harvest any if I don’t start planting any seeds. What seeds?

Like those sweet cherries and grapes I bought this morning, I had already tasted His goodness and from Him comes the fruits (of the Spirit): love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

So, as I see my uncle’s family again, I would love to start planting love where there is hate, joy where there is sadness and despair, peace for any chaotic mem’ries that might surface, etc…I know our time together will end up sweeter than those fruits because whatever springs from love comes from God. It is His greatest attribute after all. It is His doing not mine...