We need Wonder Farmers!
Brad Montague of Kid President Fame leads Wonder Workshops. He is one of my heroes and he is leading one of these workshops here in Nashville in September. This week he offered a chance to win a free ticket to this event if we posted a photograph of wonder on instagram and wrote something about wonder. Brad’s post got me thinking about WONDER…and this is what happened.
I’m a 7 on the Enneagram, the enthusiast . I tend to be full of WONDER, the expectant, excited, “let’s go on an adventure” kind of wonder. The “let’s blow bubbles, or “let’s create something out of clay,” just for fun kind of wonder. The “WOW what a glorious sunset kind of wonder!” The Mary Poppins what is in your carpet bag kind of wonder!
But not lately. Right now, I’m in an uncomfortable place. The kind of place that has me doing a lot of Wondering … wondering if what i do really matters to anyone. Wondering if it’s time to do something different. Wondering what i am supposed be doing that I’m not currently doing. Wondering what is next. Wondering about the craziness of our world and it’s lack of love and justice. Wondering how long i will be wondering. What i know about myself is that when i get in this place of wondering, I tend to panic. I tend to run ahead of God and I can totally lose sight of all the good things around me. I shut down. I stop being me. I lose hope for myself and others. The circle becomes dark rather than filled with multiple rays of color. And I really lose all sense of true wonder and all it’s glorious goodness. Which also means I miss out on the goodness and wonder of God.
I know, I know…
There are seasons for everything
There are times of drought
And times of abundance
There are times of great creativity and time when things need to lay fallow in order for new things to have better soil in which to grow.
But if I’m honest, I’m in real need of some Wonder Farmers in my life.
I’m in need of some Wonder Farmers who have the patience and hope to help me grow again. I need people like Brad Montague and Christine Sine and Artist Scott Erickson who inspire me and encourage me to keep seeking WONDER in the middle of the worry wondering!
Farmers have lots of patience. They have time to pause and time to wait.
They know about the seasons.
They watch for signs and pay attention to the weather. They aren’t afraid of the storms.
They plant seeds, pull out the weeds and make sure there is extra water when the rains don’t come.
These Wonder Farmers know that pruning hurts but the fruit that grows is better after the pruning!
Where are you today? Are you Worry Wondering? or Are you filled with Wonder?
And maybe we need WONDER Gardeners as well as WONDER Farmers! The Wonder Gardener takes time for each plant and they plan out what they want to grow. Gardeners expect that things will grow well but they don’t give up hope when they don’t. A Gardner takes time to water some plants more than others, and chooses certain flowers for their color and others for their scent. They know when to fertilize and when to replant. They grow extras. Gardeners are generous with their produce and they like giving away the fruits of their labor to share with neighbors and friends. And this reminds me that God not only is THE Wonder Farmer, God is THE Wonder Gardener too!
Are you a Wonder Farmer? or a Wonder Gardener? Could you become one? What would that look like in your world?
Who are your Wonder Farmers? Who are your WONDER GARDENERS? Who are the people in your life that bring you hope? The people who inspire you? The people who encourage you?
Take some time to think about this. Take some time to be grateful for them today. Maybe you could text them or email them or even send a card and let them know they have value and they matter!
Even Wonder Farmers and Wonder Gardeners need encouragement!
How are you doing? Are you Wondering or Filled with Wonder?
What needs to be planted in your Garden of Wonder?
What is already being planted? What seeds are already there?
What signs of wonder can you already identify? What do you notice?
What needs pruning? What Needs Cultivating? What needs more water?
What WONDER produce might need picking and sharing with others?
Take time to write down the things that are causing you to worry wondering rather than wonder in curiosity. Give those to Jesus!
Are you letting Jesus be your Wonder Gardener?
Go to a garden. Walk around in it. Dig in the dirt. Plant something. Talk to God about all the things you are wondering and worrying about.
Allow God to show you what is already growing. Allow Jesus to fill you up with wonder again as you notice the flowers, the vegetables, the plants. Ask Jesus to be your WONDER GARDENER and your WONDER FARMER as you watch the bees and bugs and butterflies. As you see the creativity of creation and the beauty even in a blade of grass!
And don’t be afraid of the season of wondering…know that God the Gardener and Wonder Farmer is at work in the wondering too!
1 comment
Thanks Lynne! My word for this year is Wonder and I was losing it due to life and work stress. A great reminder.