"Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands........" 1 Thessalonians 4:11

Friday, August 28, 2009

All The Seeds Came From The Same Package

I'm still stressing over that green pumpkin, sitting out among all of my orange ones.....
It is quite beautiful, however, why is it green?? What did I do wrong????
I planted the best quality seeds......it came from the same package as the orange ones....And as I was outside, pondering on this.....it hit me that raising this pumpkin is so much like raising children.....at least for me and something I experienced a little while back with one of my children. My children all came from the best quality seeds, and I prepared their foundation and growing space with the utmost care. Watching over every little aspect of their growing cycles.......and then, one of them turned......
different......
turning so different than the others, that it broke my heart and made me cry out to God......why????.. I did my best.... I planted all the seeds from the same package...ORANGE ...not green.....I don't understand Lord.....why???
Of course, as we all know, the good Lord works in ways that we can't possibly understand until a bit of time has passed.....

And He says......"wait......I am not finished with this one yet.".....
and as I turned the pumpkin over....I discovered that it is turning orange.....in it's own time....for whatever reason.....
and so I will watch over this different pumpkin and care for it just like the orange ones..... I won't cut it off or toss it out of my garden........in it's own way....it is unique....
And just like in raising children....I don't know what the whole outcome will be......I do know I tried to do my best in raising them......but God has His finger prints on them and His plan all laid out for them.....even if it isn't the way I planned it. And as for my one that turned, God has worked miracles and I say "now I see!...it was their destiny and God's plan!" And that difference.....made all of the difference in the world and for what they are now doing.



Just when my hope died, God turned it around.....in His timing....
in His way.
If you find yourself struggling.....with a green pumpkin....just know that the good Lord knows it's green and He knows the reason... and in His way....He will turn it around for the good.

35 comments:

Anonymous said...

A beautiful post.

Debbie said...

Sound advice and a great posting. Thanks so much for sharing that.
Debbie

Paula said...

Oh, how wonderful, Kathleen.. and thank you for sharing this so I can rejoice with you!!
I love your heart so much, dear friend...

Stickhorsecowgirls said...

what a wonderful picture lesson! C

Kelly said...

I too have a green pumpkin for a child. Green can be a nice color, it just takes getting use to. LOL.
Thanks for the post, it made me think of my green pumpkin. I love him.
Kelly

Linda said...

Wonderful thoughts Kathleen and so meaningful..hugs, Linda

Nancy M. said...

Wonderful story! Isn't that always the way with us, we want everything our way and in our time not His. It's wonderful the beauty that can become if we can only be patient!

KathyB. said...

The green pumpkins of life.Turning orange in God's time.His ways, His time, His glory.

Anonymous said...

i love this post!

Mini said...

Love the way you write! I've always wondered why & how my sibling grew to be the "green pumpkin", and hearing your story has filled me with hope. Thanks for sharing.
Cheers,
Mini

Mel said...

Perfect timing, something I needed to hear, Thank you so much...

Blessings,
Mel

Mary said...

I love this post. You said it so well.

Vickie said...

I love your analogy, Kathleen. You have such insight.

One of my pumpkins goes a little green sometime. I'm gonna have to remember this - very good!

Stickhorsecowgirls said...

This is such a beautiful post--so meaningful to me. Thanks! V.

Tipper said...

NICE!! Love your comparison between our kids and the green pumpkin.

Elaine/Muddling Through said...

Kathleen, that is a wonderful lesson about "letting go and letting God"! Thanks for sharing. Hugs, Elaine

Stephanie Suzanne Designs said...

Hello Kathleen,

How true this is…my older brother is a green pumpkin and I know that there is surely a greater plan unfolding in his life (at 56 years old)…I may never know but I do have faith and hope in all things beyond my own wisdom. God does work in mysterious ways..He has done so in my own life and I am eternally grateful. He saved me from a hopeless and unhappy future. I now have joy and abundant happiness!!

Thanks so much for this post..it really does have a lot of meaning for me.

Also, thanks for visiting me. I'm always happy to read your sweet words. :0) Oh, and I keep a close watch out for BEARS..LOL They seem to be abundant in the resort areas where there are so many cabins close together. I on the other hand am in an area with low population....so I've been told if I do sight one that it will be afraid of me and not get close. I'm counting on that!!

Love & Light,
Stephanie

Bee Haven Bev said...

Touching post....thank you for sharing!

Patty H. said...

What a beautiful analogy!! I'm wondering about my 'green pumpkin', knowing that God has a plan for him.
Yes, I do enjoy my job! I love working with the public. It's all the 'office politics' that I could do without. But it's that way anywhere you go. Have a blessed day.Patty

Theresa @ Take A Sentimental Journey said...

Loved your post sweetie !

Paula said...

Dear Kathleen,
Thank you so much for visiting me and for your sweet comment! I have missed you, too! Thank you for sharing your beautiful thoughts!!! I was so blessed by this! God is so good!!!

I enjoyed Sophia's walk!!! She is so cute!!! I loved seeing her smelling the zinnias, and with the hat on her sweet head in the other post! You always make me smile with your lovely photos and inspiring words!

Have a blessed day!
Love, Paula

Pat / Silver Thimble Quilt Co. said...

Kathleen, Thank you for your beautiful post and thoughtful analogy. Your words are a sweet gift from God as well.

Pat

Irma's Rose Cottage said...

Oh Kathleen! What a beautiful post! I too have a green pumpkin and I too have cried and could not understand why, I now know that God has always known why this came to be and he has plans. Again, what a lovely post. I so enjoy coming to your blog and reading such inspirational posts from you.

Irma :)

DayPhoto said...

Sometimes I feel green...

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com

peggy said...

We couldn't ask for a better devotional, and the pictures are so good as well to go with your story. Sometimes a lot of green pumpkins come along and you just make room in your life for them.

Grammyof13 said...

Where were you when I needed you 30 years ago??? I've never thought of such an analogy before. But as with so many others who have posted comments, I too had a green pumpkin. Guess I will never forget this post. Precious indeed. And your words are so good as you let us see your heart. I've been wondering how your children were - forgive me for not inquiring sooner.
Blessings!

Jen's Farmily said...

Beautiful analogy. And so very true.

Unknown said...

beautiful post, but i would have loved the green pumpkin just that color also!

Brenda Kay Ledford said...

Thank you, Kathleen, for this wonderful advice. I really needed that today. Blessings! Brenda

Anonymous said...

Oh Kathleen what a beautiful post and so timely and perfect for me!
Thank you so much for sharing this!
Wishing you a blessed and wonderful holiday weekend! ♥

Connie said...

Wonderful words, Kathleen. This holds a lesson we all need to be reminded of. I hope you have a great holiday weekend. :)

Julie said...

Oh, Miss Kathleen --
I just feel your heart in this post. Your heartache, your bewilderment, your guilt (although unwarranted - it's what parents who "care too much" feel), and finally, your rejoicing at God's will being done!

We have one that I'm worried for, too. She has always had a rebellious spirit, but at the same time - very, very loving. I see her struggle and feel for her, but I can't help but feel worry and wonder what I can do. I know that prayer is "all" that I can really do - but you know that we mother's just want to fix everything!
I know that I'll be visiting this post again and again - as I'm sure many other's will, too.

Beautiful post.
Have a blessed and safe Labor Day,
Julie

Mama said...

amazing! thanks for this post.

nancy huggins said...

Haven't heard from my green pumpkin since May and I would just like to know he is O K..I will always think about your pumpkin when things don't go as planned..Thank you for sharing that :)

Sunny said...

Wonderful post, Kahtleen. I have experienced this as well.... it does make us stop and consider if we are really trusting God in our children's lives.