A Pastoral Word. . .
Pastor Mark Adams
August 19, 2021
Last year when the pandemic was raging---at a time when everyone could use a little sunshine in their life---a Wisconsin farmer decided that was what he was going to do (provide some sunshine) so he planted more than 2 million sunflowers in his fields.
Scott Thompson’s family has been farming for more than 70 years, and this is the first year that flowers decorated the landscape of their land. Usually, the pick-your-own farm consists of strawberries in summer and raspberries and pumpkins in the fall. But this year, Thompson Strawberry Farm invited people to a simple family outing where they could picnic, wander fields of florals and take home a dozen sunflowers.
Thompson and his wife thought with everything going on in 2020 it would be ideal to spread a little happiness to their customers.
He said, “We just did it…and we just kept building. As the season went on, the pandemic never went anywhere…and we thought people might be looking for something to do, and what a great way to social distance and…smile, basically.”
Thompson ended up with more than 22 acres of flowers. It made over 2 million blooms of sunshine. The flowers were planted in more than 15 fields to provide room to social distance. In addition to sunflowers, Thompson also planted a field of zinnias, a field of wildflowers, and Mexican sunflowers that are known for attracting butterflies.
He said, “One of the things that’s so cool about this is everyone is so happy. We get all these comments on Facebook, or if I’m out in the field, everybody is like, ‘Thanks for doing this,’ (and) ‘This is what I needed.’ People are so happy to be out there and have a place to go.” He said that people come to enjoy a small break from reality.
These are discouraging days---the world needs Christians to do as this farmer has done---to obey God’s Word and “encourage the disheartened and help the weak.” (1 Thessalonians 5:14)
Who do you need to encourage? With whom do you need to share joy? Who has a burden that, with God’s empowering, you could help bear?
You don’t have to plant acres of flowers to give people a reason to smile. There are tons of ways to encourage people---things we can do that open the door for us to share the peace and joy that Jesus gives.
Remember, as 2nd Corinthians 9:6 says, “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.”
Keep the SON in your eyes!
Mark
Scott Thompson’s family has been farming for more than 70 years, and this is the first year that flowers decorated the landscape of their land. Usually, the pick-your-own farm consists of strawberries in summer and raspberries and pumpkins in the fall. But this year, Thompson Strawberry Farm invited people to a simple family outing where they could picnic, wander fields of florals and take home a dozen sunflowers.
Thompson and his wife thought with everything going on in 2020 it would be ideal to spread a little happiness to their customers.
He said, “We just did it…and we just kept building. As the season went on, the pandemic never went anywhere…and we thought people might be looking for something to do, and what a great way to social distance and…smile, basically.”
Thompson ended up with more than 22 acres of flowers. It made over 2 million blooms of sunshine. The flowers were planted in more than 15 fields to provide room to social distance. In addition to sunflowers, Thompson also planted a field of zinnias, a field of wildflowers, and Mexican sunflowers that are known for attracting butterflies.
He said, “One of the things that’s so cool about this is everyone is so happy. We get all these comments on Facebook, or if I’m out in the field, everybody is like, ‘Thanks for doing this,’ (and) ‘This is what I needed.’ People are so happy to be out there and have a place to go.” He said that people come to enjoy a small break from reality.
These are discouraging days---the world needs Christians to do as this farmer has done---to obey God’s Word and “encourage the disheartened and help the weak.” (1 Thessalonians 5:14)
Who do you need to encourage? With whom do you need to share joy? Who has a burden that, with God’s empowering, you could help bear?
You don’t have to plant acres of flowers to give people a reason to smile. There are tons of ways to encourage people---things we can do that open the door for us to share the peace and joy that Jesus gives.
Remember, as 2nd Corinthians 9:6 says, “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.”
Keep the SON in your eyes!
Mark
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