Bloom Where You are Transplanted

-

As I looked around our little church yesterday, we were stuffed to the gills.  We had 55 people and my husband counted and there were still 20 seats left, but it was definitely tight.  Of course, many of those were in the front row so they may never fill up. ;-) 

I loved seeing the herd of children head off to children's church before the sermon.  When we arrived two years ago there were no young ones so this is another good sign of growth.  We are letting our teens know about winter camp at our denomination's local campground and so far have about six teenagers interested. 

Our church service is over around 11:00 and yet, people stay and fellowship until about noon.  There is lots of laughter.  There is an energy and excitement that is so wonderful to see. 

And yet, there was a time, when I wondered if we made a huge mistake coming here.  I felt out of place and lost.  I was like a fish out of water.  I'm not sure how or why the turning point came, but I do remember gradually starting to feel like I could be myself.  I began to feel relaxed.  It felt like home and not just some place we have moved to be near Dan's job.  My desire and enthusiasm for ministry came back.

I'm so thankful for this congregation.  We have grown to love them.  Dan loves it here and is thriving.  I love it here and even my children have grown to love it too.

There is a saying, "bloom where you are planted."  Sometimes, it takes a bit of time for roots to take hold when a flower is transplanted.  The plant may look wilted and as if it will die.  Yet, one day you look at that flower and the leaves and stem look vibrant and healthy.  There are buds on the plant and it eventually blooms.

I feel a bit like that flower! I'm finally blooming where I have been transplanted!

Comments

  1. ElizabethdOctober 26, 2015 at 3:42 PM

    That's so good to hear Terri. I am sure you and your husband have made a big contribution to your church.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

I love your comments and encouragement! I can't always respond back but do read each comment.

Popular posts from this blog

Oh What to Do; I'm Sixty-Two!

-
Image
Today is my sixty-second birthday and it's hard to believe I've achieved that....um....seasoned age! My first thought this morning was one of not being sure that I like it. However,  as I thought I about it, I decided to take joy in the fact that I've reached an older age. Because age comes with benefits. Benefit #1 - I'm a bit wiser.   When I look back at some of the decisions I made when I was younger, I cringe. With age has come the ability to slow down and think things through before I make major upheavals in my life. I've also discovered that getting worked up about certain things is just an absolute waste of emotional energy. Benefit #2 - I'm enjoying my life.   As I've aged I've learned all kinds of skills and hobbies and can honestly say that I'm never, ever bored. I love all the different things I'm able to do and it's fun! Benefit #3 - I've learned to appreciate my relationships. With age I've learned to work on developing a...
Read more

Eating to Live

-
Image
  Despite the unexpected busyness and interruptions, I have been plugging away at my weight loss as well as writing the plant-based, whole food cookbook. Recipe testing fell by the wayside the past two weeks, but I've still gotten a good chunk of the book done. I also got on the scale this morning for another one pound loss which makes a total of 61 lbs. since I started this journey back in July. It's second nature at this point and I have so much more energy and feel healthy. The only negative is that because I've lost so much weight I'm seeing some sagging, crepe-papery skin happening. Yuck. Some of that is age and I need to figure out some toning exercises. It's definitely a life-style change, but a positive one which I'm so thankful I started on. The pictures above are a small selection of meals I've eaten the past two months and many of those will be included in the book.  This will be a printable e-book as I find that will be the easiest and most cost ...
Read more

When the Unexpected Pops Up

-
Image
On Thursday afternoon, just as Dan and I were getting ready to leave for a meeting, we received a phone call from our son. He was sitting on the side of the road with a blown engine in his car. The problem is he lives 3 1/2 hours away. After back and forth phone calls he called a tow truck and got it towed to a garage. He ended up renting a car and headed here for the holiday. We've been working with him to figure out his next steps because he still owes thousands of dollars on the car which will also take a significant amount to replace the engine. His rent is going up in the new year. His seasonal job ended and he is trying to find something else, but needs a car for that to happen. His car still has not been looked at by the mechanic. It is all more than a little overwhelming. Long story short, we extended an invitation for him to live here temporarily so he can get out from under all of this. It would save him money on expensive rent and utilities.  The timing was right since h...
Read more