Monday, August 1, 2016

Growing in Grace -- To Offer Grace

May God break my heart so fully that the whole world falls in.    
                                                                             ~Mother Teresa 




There it stood. Not in a flower bed, but in the middle of a dirt pile. Straight and tall with all its golden sunshine splendor. Bringing beauty to the ugly. Growing in the midst of nothing but dirt.

Until, of course, you remember God used the dirt to create man. Man who could walk with Him in the cool of the day. Man who was made in the likeness of God Himself. Man given the choice of right or wrong.  

Sometimes I feel like the lone tulip in a dirt pile. Oh, not beautiful in the physical sense. But beautiful through the blood of the Sacrificial Lamb. Beautiful because of grace. Beauty claimed daily in my walk of faith.




But still, the dirt. In the midst of standing I see those who live and work and play. Those who haven't chosen, although not choosing is really choosing the wrong. I see them out my window delivering packages. I see them at the grandboys' games. They pack my groceries and lean out their window to hand me drinks in foam cups. They fill my prescriptions and put gas in my car. Men and women packed in the dirt of life. People who need grace.

I look around me and see the evilness of Satan. See him stepping on dirt, surrounding me in a victory dance of sorts. But I stand straight and tall with all my SONshine beauty. Growing in the midst of nothing but dirt.  



I was first planted as Pamela, but replanted as Daughter of the Son. Sent to a world longing to flower but trapped in the dirt.  "I find myself standing where I always hoped I might stand—out in the wide open spaces of God’s grace and glory, standing tall and shouting my praise" (Romans 5:2). 

I'm alone, but seeing the vision of a garden of tulips. Tulips ready and willing to find their own plot of dirt.  Tulips standing in all their SONshine beauty. 

There are many tulips to plant and not enough planters. Pray to the owner of the tulip gardens that He will send workmen to gather his harvest.  (Paraphrase of Luke 1:10).
 







31 comments:

Shannon Wallace said...

Amen!!! We need to pray this more than on occasion. But rather, daily, hourly, and even more often when God leads us to it. There is a world full of broken people who need only one thing, His Grace. Can we do the job He has called us to do?

Love,
Shannon

Anonymous said...

I like the picture you have painted with your words. sometimes we will be a lone flower--may we give grace and hope to those we come in contact with.

And yes, may the Lord of the harvest provide more flowers!

Karen said...

Isn't it wonderful to be planted by the Lord and beautiful in His eyes! Thank you for a lovely post.

Beth said...

A beautiful post to which I add 'Amen!'

Lynda said...

Wow! I like that post and your analogies.

Sharon said...

Oh Pamela. This was beautiful. I am also overwhelmed at times when I go out to do various things. There are so many lost souls out there, and my heart bleeds for them. I pray that God will make me bolder in my encounters, and that I will not let opportunities to share the Good News pass by.

I love the image of the flower in the dirt. I have seen that up here in the mountains. And it a glorious sight. The enemy will not trample me, and he will not keep me from drinking deeply of the Living Water.

GOD BLESS!

~Kc Waddell said...

Your pictures are beautiful. Just stopping by from the Say it Saturday Linky Party. Thanks for sharing!

Anita Johnson said...

Nice analogy, Pamela. I think I'll look at tulips differently from now on too! have a great week.

Denise said...

Amen, amen.

Stephanie said...

My dear Pamela, your post was truly wonderful! I was blessed by your words and I especially liked these words, "...beautiful through the blood of the Sacrificial Lamb. Beautiful because of grace. Beauty claimed daily in my walk of faith." Thank you so much!

Hugs to you!

Stephanie said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy said...

Very beautiful post, Pamela!

Hugs,

Kathy M.

Denise said...

In our busy hurried up lives, we often don’t even take notice of the people around us who are broken, weak and discouraged, much less acknowledge or seek to understand them. What a great reminder that we, as a sisterhood, must dedicate our lives in sharing what it takes to help strengthen each other.

Beautiful Pamela!
Blessings my friend,
Denise

Anonymous said...

This is an absolutely beautiful post - thanks so much for sharing it, and for your sweet comment on my blog. Isn't it wonderful to think we came from dirt but Jesus washed us clean! Hugs ~ Mary

Unknown said...

Love this! It goes with my post on God being the potter! Have a great day.

Unknown said...

Great post, which I appreciated reading, thank you for sharing.

sharon said...

Love thge analogy with the flowers especially the rtulip, they do stand up straight and strong, remember too that one year you might plant one but the every year they increase in numbers.

Laurie Collett said...

This is so beautiful, Pamela! And you are beautiful, too -- inside and out. God's love and light shine in your eyes.
Blessings,
Laurie

a joyful noise said...

We shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water and our leave shall not wither. Lovely post and illustration.

Kim said...

What a wonderfully fresh perspective on our and everyone else's humble beginnings. I will never look at a pile of dirt the same again!

Unknown said...

I echo what Kim says and I pray for an abundant harvest!!

Thistle Cove Farm said...

dirt to make Adam and dirt to heal the blind man's eyes. it's cold, windy, rainy and Blackberry Winter here so no sun; thankfully, there's always the Son.

Jen said...

Oh, I feel your heart cry in this, friend. I feel a sister's heart to bring others, gather wildly, the abundance of those needing Him. I can so relate! UNITED with you! I cry with you friend, "Here I am. Send me!"

elizabeth said...

You are such an encouragement and inspiration! Thank you.

Cathy said...

You write so beautifully. Thank you. Blessings ~

GLENDA CHILDERS said...

Standing with you, dearest. Together we will make a beautiful bouquet for God's glory.

Fondly,
Glenda

Anonymous said...

Wow! Love that quote from Mother Teresa. :)

Joy (Aesther) said...

Thank you for this lovely post Pamela! Amen to what you have posted! :)

Mary Reed said...

There are so many in need of Him... And needing us to envelope them in His love. Such a beautifully written post!
Blessings to you ~ Mary

Connie Nelson said...

You are indeed blessed with a gift, and you use it beautifully. Thanks for blessing us by sharing it. Love this, thanks for linking with me.

Annesphamily said...

Beautifully written words. Your perception of life and the Lord makes me feel so blessed.