Birdseed and Fairy Houses - June 5
Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 55; PM Psalm 138, 139:1-17; Deut. 29:2-15; 2 Cor. 9:1-15; Luke 18:15-30
There is a garden space at the back of our house that I see when I leave in the morning and when I arrive home in the afternoon. It has a blend of sun and shade, with soil that nourishes the plants which are entrusted to that space. Over the past year, I spent many hours tending, planting, and enjoying this area. There is a patch of lavender that is in bloom; looking closely you can catch sight of bees hanging on and gathering goodness from the fragrant, purple-tipped reeds. Next to it, a transplanted rose bush shows forth its soft yellow blooms. Some lilies placed in the ground after Easter 2020 are in the bed, with their white trumpets glowing radiantly. I planned for spaces to plant bulbs and to have some seasonal breathing room between plants, adding a generous layer of mulch to keep out weeds and hold in the moisture needed.
This garden has more than the hallmark of my hands upon it. The kids have created “fairy habitats” among the lush groundcover growing along the bricked retaining wall and under some of the greenery. The acorn caps of berries and huts of sticks and leaves that they assemble add character to the garden, indeed. Sam hung a birdfeeder in the birch tree last summer and faithfully refills it as needed. As we spend much time outside, it is joyous to see birds grabbing a snack and to hear their beautiful songs.
That birdfeeder hung just above the site that I had left clear for bulbs and “breathing room”. One morning this spring, I realized that some of the birdseed scattered from above was growing in the garden. After a year of rolling with the unexpected in so many aspects of life, I decided just to watch where these wild weeds would end up. Those green sprigs have grown into what looks like sheaves of wheat, with even a few sunflowers shining forth. It is wonderfully wild.
Arriving home from errands yesterday, Josephine did not tend her fairy houses, but noted that it looked like an animal had been in the garden. She could see that a section of the green stalks were pressed upon the ground, as if something (much larger than a fairy) had been lying down upon them.
As I sit here thinking about that space of life and hopefulness outside our backdoor, I am struck at the effect generosity has had upon that tiny garden plot. I am touched by how the generosity of building homes for our garden fairies has given a new fanciful dimension to our surroundings. I am stirred that the generosity of feeding our feathered friends has yielded a patch of wild growth. These additions add depth and adventure to what I had envisioned.
In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, I am humbled by his message to his siblings in Christ: “the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” (9:6) If left to my own devices, I may not sow seeds as bountifully as I could. Looking at the gifts of participation from my spouse and children, I realize the extraordinary bounty in that garden. Thankfully, I am not alone – in gardening adventures or in the journey of Christian life – and neither are you. Each of us get to give and participate…and our giving accumulates, gathering momentum, and bursting forth with more bounty and beauty than we could imagine.
Today, I pray that you hear the call to share abundantly and sow bountifully. Sow bountifully in loving those around you. Sow bountifully in giving to the church that nourishes your soul and the lives of others in need. And, sow bountifully in entrusting your whole life to God, so that you may see every blessing in abundance.
-- Katherine+
Questions for Reflection
Who inspires you to be generous?
What does generosity look like for you today? How are you sharing abundantly? In what ways can you grow to share more – emotionally, spiritually, financially, physically?
Daily Challenge
Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556) was a Spanish priest, theologian, soldier, and one of the founders of the Society of Jesus (also called the Jesuits). He wrote a prayer for generosity that is shared widely, even 500 years later.
Eternal Word, only begotten Son of God,
Teach me true generosity.
Teach me to serve you as you deserve.
To give without counting the cost,
To fight heedless of wounds,
To labor without seeking rest,
To sacrifice myself without thought of any reward
Save the knowledge that I have done your will.
Amen.
Take a moment to reflect on these words. Let one word or phrase linger in your mind. Pray for how God is calling you to true generosity this day. Write down one action you will commit to doing in the week ahead.