A neighbor brings over a small mint plant (it’s growing like a weed in her yard) and asks if I would like it.

I imagine the taste of sweet mint sun-tea in the summer and homemade mint chutney, and I graciously accept. I had wanted mint, but she couldn’t have known that. Isn’t this one of the many ways God gives us even the littlest things?

I find an old green plastic pot in the garage, and place the mint plant inside. In the garage are several bean plants, sunflowers, and zucchini which we started from seed, now in these larger pots, waiting until it is warm enough to be planted outdoors.

I look at the little mint plant, and wonder if it will survive, and how long it will take to  grow.

As I look at the little fledgling plant I am reminded of the bible study I attended the day before. I was with a group of six other women, some of whom I have known for as long as 14 years, and a few I have only just met.

A woman I only met two weeks ago is there. She has two children, one teen and one in middle school, and has been attending church all of her life… but she has never read her Bible.

Until two weeks ago– after her family came to a Bible study.

And since then?

They can’t get enough of the Bible. She checked a few Bibles out of their local library for the family to read. They are reading together in the evenings–  on a Friday night, they are all reading the Bible, together, and are eager to learn.

She is open, curious, asking questions, admitting constantly she knows nothing of the Bible. She is thirsty, hungry for more. She says she has been reading all kinds of books through the years, even spiritual ones, but not the Bible itself. She asks where to start reading? One person suggests the book of John, but she asks each person in the group, one by one, what each one recommends? We all agree: the book of John is a good place to start.

Just two years ago, a friend of ours sat in her living room, inviting the family to Bible study, and to a deeper relationship with Christ– and they rejected it, saying they wanted a balanced life, and didn’t have time for more.

Who can understand God’s timing, and the ways God moves in a heart, and awakens a soul to a deeper hunger?

It’s exciting to see this flame ignited, to see it happening with my own eyes in someone else’s life… and this fresh, new faith fans something in me, too. What have I been reading with my kids lately, besides math problems and history books and spelling words? I am convicted, as I have not been taking my homeschool time to do some bible reading with my kids this year. I have procrastinated, neglecting my original plan, my principal focus. I used to read the Bible, have devotions, studies, with the kids. But not in a long while. I don’t like to admit that, but it’s true. I’m planning a Bible time now, for just my kids and myself. I can’t wait.

When the study concludes, she asks, “When will I see you again?” Because she is hungry for more. She’s tasted God’s word and wants more, and needs and wants fellowship with other people to talk about it.

I like to be next to the fire. It’s catchy. And my house? I hope it’ll be blazing… and I hope seeds will be sprouting and a garden growing.

***

Counting gifts, #717-735:

717. a rainy evening

718. the smell of mint and basil

719. a beautiful colorful bouquet of flowers from the yard (tulips, daffodils, hyacinth, etc.)

720. my favorite fragrant bush still in bloom

721. Take children to work day– the kids went to work with their dad and the company had a special day planned. They experienced doing business in a town. The kids had to apply for different jobs before hand: mayor, manager, CFO, etc. On the day, they were assigned different jobs. There were businesses with employees, policemen, a newspaper office… basically a town to run. They had to write checks, sell products, provide services, pay bills, etc. It was a very fun day for them and a creative idea. Wish it lasted a week, not just a day!

722. Sams club had a free pass day– I don’t have a membership,  so I went and stocked up on frozen vegetables, a few boxes of cereal, paper towels, fresh fruit….

723. Small Group with some ladies–online! New group, and new for me– online group.

724. Words of truth read on so many other blogs this past week– good words by others.

725. Fun history co-op spent painting (the kids did the painting) for backdrops and scenery for upcoming plays.

726. It was “bring a friend day” to a homeschool group we are part of– and I took a friend, and her two boys, and we spent all day from 8:30 to 2:30… they were tired but had fun.

727. Looking at a neighbor’s mini greenhouse and garden in their backyard.

728. Adding a few lines of a poem on a facebook picture prompt– and getting a “like” on the poem!

729. Lunch (Panera, one of my favorite places) and Bible study with a few other women!

730. the sound of many violins and cellos in one room…ahhhh!

731. quiet time to read

732. having more books on my list to read than I have time for

733. sending notes to others

734. laughing with my kids

735. the sound of my parent’s voices on the phone

***

Sharing with:

Laura at The Wellspring, L.L. Barkat at Seedlings in Stone, Jen at Finding Heaven, Ann at A Holy Experience