Good morning…
Earlier this month we received the photo above, sent from the well known town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Steve and I were married in my hometown of Berea, Ohio in 1987, we enjoyed his final two years in seminary at Yale Divinity School in New Haven, Connecticut, then we moved to Gettysburg for his first real job as an associate pastor at Gettysburg Presbyterian Church. Surrounded by an amazing church family, we absolutely loved our six years in Gettysburg, even though our final four years were wrought with infertility, multiple miscarriages, and dashed dreams, long month after long month.
Finally a pregnancy lasted full term, and in January of 1995, we gave birth to our first, very-prayed-over son. In honor of his birth, the church planted a tree in the backyard of the church manse where we lived in the historic district of the downtown. Just this month, our son turned twenty-six years old and we received the photo above with the description below from the man who moved into the manse and assumed Steve’s role as associate pastor. (By the way, back then I was called “Susie.”)
Years ago, God planted the seeds of a dream in every cell of our first son. It has been amazing to watch the growth of God within him over these past twenty-six years. The symbol of this large oak tree speaks volumes to me.
Since the beginning of creation, now, and forever, God masterfully plants trees, plants, and people bearing the seeds of His life-giving dreams. I am reminded of this creative, rejuvenating process as I watch the video below. God’s dreams are implanted to grow big in each person, as big as the tree above, before they begin to drop nourishing acorns to feed the hungry needs of all the squirrels in the neighborhood.
Jesus (explaining): Do you want to understand the kingdom of God? Do you want Me to tell you what it’s like? It’s like a single mustard seed that someone took and planted in his garden. That tiny seed grew and became a tree so large that the birds could fly in and make their nests in its branches (Luke 13:18-20, VOICE).
May this parable come true in our everyday lives, as we witness the growth of God’s dream expanding in us, in our children, and in our children’s children. Enjoy this short video capturing on camera the organic growth of Almighty God.
…Sue…
