Scatter the Seeds

First I saw the horse.

Beautiful.....free....mane blowing in the winter wind.

The paddock primed for riders, horses all lined up in the barn.

My excited 7 year old jumping at my feet, running to the barn, my 2 year old on my hip.......

and then I saw the woman......whom I'll call "S'.....she looked like the perfect equestrian instructor......petite, muscular, big smile, braided hair cascading down her back, moving with grace and authority in the barn while the horse all neighed a welcome.

....and I felt something stir in my spirit. A quickening to pray for her.

Over the next 3 years, every week,  I would come to the barn with my oldest girl, watching as she learned to ride a horse and begin the stages of grooming....

....polite conversations turning to more intimate details of our lives....our families, husbands...the sadness at hearing of her divorce....the happiness at seeing her oldest girl graduate from high school......and seeing her at various elementary school functions for her boys were not far behind my oldest......becoming more intimate with personal details like churches, youth groups, etc.....sharing how we were looking for a new church in the community so we could leave the inner city one....she shared about her Catholic roots...sharing about our Easter and Christmas traditions.....

......and always a quickening in my spirit...something spiritual...some kind of need in her....and me too shy to ask about it....or too hesitant because of lack of confidence in my own faith??

.....praying bedtime prayers over those years for S the beloved riding instructor....my little girl quickly becoming a tween learning to jump with a horse.....and learning to pray for others even when we don't know what to pray for......

and then the news that the riding lessons were ending...the instructor was just going to lease horses...no more teaching....the sadness as we said good-bye...the sense that I should pray for S....the longing to say more but not knowing how......

....excitement at finding a new riding stable.....and a new church in our community....and forgetting about the first equestrian lady....S.......

.....and then just a couple of months ago, as I was praying in church for this eldest daughter of mine, out in college, I look up to see....S!!  In our church......I approach her....we reminisce and catch each other up on our lives....she says how someone boarding a horse with her invited her to this church....she is seeking.....she is happy to be in this congregation where there is "life" as she put it.....

......today....Sunday....during the Sunday School children's Xmas presentation, I realize that S is still coming to church, this time with a man...his arm wrapped around her......she has a smile and is raising her hands in worship!

....my heart leaps for joy....I begin to thank the Lord......for a brief moment I feel guilty for not ever telling her directly about Jesus...about our Savior....I am not an evangelist yet we are called to be one........right??  "Oh Lord, I'm sorry I was hesitant"......

....and He whispers to my heart.....

"seeds were scattered.....you scattered seeds by praying.....by having Courtney pray...all those years ago...."......

sometimes, it takes many people on the journey.....

.....ones to scatter the seed.....

.............ones to plant them......

..................ones to water them.......

...................ones to weed them..........

................and we will see a harvest.......

"Thank you Lord for this Sunday....for the seeing of seeds that were scattered being harvested in worship.......true worship unto You........"

Will you scatter some seeds this week??