A couple years ago, I had to do a panel of southern authors with friends Robert Daly and Karin Gillespie at the Southern Kentucky Book Festival. There were a plethora of other writers there that day and I took a break to walk around and see what other books were out there. That was a when I came across Jon Carloftis and his book "First A Garden". I was preparing the Bible Study with the theme of "Gardening", so my eyes immediately went to this book. It is our feature book for this month and has some of the most beautiful pictures of gardens I have ever seen.
So for this month's Thumbprints I'm going to do them slightly different. I'm going to, with Jon's permission, share some of his words regarding gardening. Even though he is talking about gardening, take a few minutes on these Thursdays to reflect on what God would like to say to you.
"First, A Garden...When I bought my 1850's Penssylvania farmhouse in 1990, I couldn't wait to get started on the garden. Before any home improvement, I created first an allee of trees leading visitors from the garage to the house. Southerners love any journey through a majestic, tree-lined path.
For my allee, I used fast-growing, inexpensive, Bradford pear trees. Over the next few years, these trees would grow tall and together to create a tunnel. Today, 15 years later, they are magnificent-a show stopper. In the spring, they're literally white with blooms. In the summer, they're rich forest green. In the fall, they turn a beet-red and dark burgundy. I keep them clipped in a box shape and up-light them with a soft-glowing, hidden lamp.
To me, even the most simple plants can be combined or used to create an incredible result."
Jon Carloftis
Sometimes what God has called us to do may feel simple, insignificant, even small. But when it is combined with the gifts and talents and calling of others...it can create an incredible result.
What has God called you to?
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