Planting Seeds

From the time she was born — and throughout her century long life — Lucy Brimer knew quite a bit about planting seeds. Her parents immigrated from Germany at the very end of the 1800’s to Chicago where their first two children were born. From there they moved to what is now Wilmington Avenue, in Carson. There, they began a life of being “dry-farmers”. It takes a particular type of person to be a Dry Farmer — a patient and caring person. Dry farming is done by using rain water for watering the crops where there is no other irrigation available. First, the ground must be plowed deep in order to catch all of the rain-fall and soak up the water as fast as it falls — avoiding run-off. After plowing the ground deep, 8, 10 or even 12 inches, they take the seed and bury it into the ground — and wait. There is nothing to do after this but be patient — and watch — and wait. Whether it was lima beans, wheat or hay grass, they plowed, buried seed and waited for the rains to come. Sometimes months would pass before the rain came — then more waiting. The sun would then warm the ground and each seed would germinate and begin to grow long before it was ever seen above the surface of the soil. Only after a time hidden deep in the ground, watered and then warmed, can the seed come to life and live its life to the fullest.

Each of her friends and family members have had a “Lucy-seed” planted deep in our soul. Some of our seeds may have been planted deeper than others. In each of us, she waited and watched these seeds break forth and come to a life of their own. Her patience and graceful way of life, watered and allowed each to grow — becoming the life it were intended to be. She taught us to pray at an early age when we gathered around her for Easter dinner. She delighted in giving each of us a blessing with her smile. She did not force growth, but her very warm love always drew us into a safe place — Now she is in her own safe place with the Father and all of the gathered saints that have gone on before us.

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The Lord says in Isaiah 55:6-13
Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.
Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts.
Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him,
and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways
higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth:

It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Instead of the thornbush, the pine tree will grow, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the Lord’s renown, for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed.

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May the “Lucy-seed” that is buried within, grow and flourish through love, and graceful living — while the Word of the Lord accomplishes and achieves its purpose in our lives. Amen