Friday, August 7, 2009

Sweet Potato . . . not pie!







Ok - you know how you see a "saying" and sometimes it sticks with you forever? I remember reading and hearing the phrase "bloom where you are planted." I always thought it was a good saying and actually said it to a few people.

About a week ago, I found a sweet potato in my pantry. I must admit that it was beginning to be just a little pitiful looking. It was in one of the clear plastic bags from the grocery store and it had sprouts coming out of one end. It was in the deep dark recesses of my pantry buried among canned goods, sleeves of spaghetti noodles, packages of instant grits . . . you get the picture. The words you should really focus on in the sentence right before this one are deep and dark. That potato had managed to grow shoots, which were bending toward the light of the kitchen, in a deep dark place.

I must admit that I actually cut that top off and cooked the rest of the sweet potato. I thought to myself, "I wonder if it would grow." I seem to remember doing that when I was a child. So I found a pretty coffee mug and inserted two really long skewers in the potato to keep it upright. You see, because those shoots were growing toward the light, they were coming out of the potato at a really odd angle and I had to have two giant skewers so that I could prop one on the side of the window sill to keep the potato upright. I filled the cup with water and went to work.

About nine hours later, I walked through the door from the basement and I was truly amazed by the plant. One day . . . yes, just a few hours . . . of sunshine and water and those shoots had grown. They had grown a lot! So yesterday morning, I got out the camera and took a picture to remind myself . . . and then I decided to share with you. (Yes, I know I have way too many . . .'s in this post, but that is the way my brain is working this morning!!) Just one week of water and sunshine and this plant is growing like crazy.

I need to remember that when I am in a deep dark place, I need to turn my face to the sunshine. . . . which for me, would be "sonshine." I might need to be "propped up" by the loving arms of friends. . . and rest in the arms of my Jesus. I might need a cold drink of fresh water. . . which for me would be the living water that only God can provide. I might even need a pretty cup :-) I need to remember this . . . .and maybe you do, too. We can bloom where we are planted . . . and with a little help, we can flourish and grow into a beautiful person.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Do I win the summer reading award???

When I was a kid, we always walked to the library in our small town and checked out our limit of books. I was always one of the first kids to sign up for the summer reading program and won the "most books read" award several times. I still love to read but time seems more limited than ever. My friend, Cheryl posted a "name your 15 favorite books" (or something like that) on her blog today and so I started thinking about books I've read. My problem is that I read for pleasure. I read quickly and then I promptly forget what I've read. But here is a list of some of my favorites . . . in no particular order:
1) Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
2) Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall and Denver
3) The Shack by William P. Young
4) What's So Amazing about Grace by Philip Yancey
5) God is Closer Than You Think by John Ortberg
6) Island of Saints by Andy Andrews
7) Most all James Patterson novels (not especially crazy about winged ones)
8) Most any cooking mystery
9) Most all Janet Evanovich novels (love Stephanie Plum)
10) All of the Anne George books
11) All of the Agatha Christie books (read them all one summer)
12) Bitsy's Bait and BBQ - Pamela Morsi
13) Usually whatever I'm reading at the moment - love good mysteries
14) I know the Bible should be on this list and I should probably be ashamed that it wasn't my first thought - I do love reading the Psalms and I love Esther and I love Paul's writings . . .
15) The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

My list gives you a little glimpse into what you might find at anytime on my nightstand or in my purse or in the "return to the library" bag . . . .